1 


B¥   ELSERl  A 


s 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


era  3*5"' 
(^ORGANISED  CHURCH  OF  JESUS  CHRIST      >7,u 

OF  UTTER  DAY  SAINTS 


i 


Rt 


PREFACE 

Memory  is  the  magician  that  enables  us  to  re- 
construct the  past.  Where  memory  fails,  imagi- 
nation with  the  aid  of  historical  records  "carries 
on."  This  volume  by  no  means  represents  an 
effort  to  write  an  historical  textbook.  Imagina- 
tion, stirred  by  the  romantic  records  of  the  past, 
has  endeavored  rather  to  revivify  and  relive 
some  of  the  strange  events  of  the  past  occurring 
in  that  most  unique  city  of  modern  history, 
Nauvoo. 

The  story,  "Timbers  for  the  Temple,"  first  ap- 
peared in  Autumn  Leaves  in  1917  and  1918. 
Since  then  many  inquiries  have  been  received  as 
to  the  identity  of  leading  characters.  David  H. 
Smith  served  to  an  extent  as  model  for  the  char- 
acter of  David  Nobleman.  Frederick  G.  Smith 
likewise  helped  to  suggest  the  character  of  John 
Nobleman.  But  as  a  matter  of  course,  the  par- 
ticular events  set  forth  in  the  book  did  not  ac- 
tually take  place  in  the  lives  of  either  of  these 
men — some  of  the  events  as  a  matter  of  fact  oc- 
curring before  they  were  born.  Other  characters 
not  obviously  historical  are  imaginary. 

Born  in  the  city  of  Nauvoo,  in  the  "Mansion 
House,"  close  by  the  Father  of  Waters,  under 
the  shadow  of  the  hill  crowned  by  the  ruins  of 


the  temple,  the  writer  has  always  found  a  stirring 
of  the  pulse  at  the  very  mention  of  the  word 
Nauvoo;  romance,  poetry,  adventure,  religious 
fervor,  sacrifice,  tragedy,  melancholia — the  faces 
of  all  these  rise  before  the  mind's  eye  at  the 
sounding  of  that  word.  But  hope  and  faith  also 
appear,  leading  from  the  blight  and  ruin  of  the 
past,  from  the  irretrievable  collapse  of  high  en- 
terprises, the  canker  of  disappointment,  and  the 
cynicism  of  disillusionment,  along  a  safe  and  sure 
road  into  a  future  that  will  materialize  all  that 
was  sought  for  and  lost  by  our  fathers  at  Nau- 
voo. If  even  one  reader  shall  be  fortified  in  his 
determination  to  help  build  the  living  temple 
first,  a  redeemed  people  the  home  and  habitation 
of  God,  that  the  temple  of  wood  and  stone  may 
not  be  in  vain,  the  labor  of  love  represented  by 
this  book  will  not  be  lost. 

ELBERT  A.  SMITH. 
INDEPENDENCE,  MISSOURI,  October  24,  1922. 


CONTENTS 

1.  In  the  Rose  Garden 9 

2.  The  Shadow  Land  of  Memory 18 

3.  The  New  Name 42 

4.  Off  for  the  Pine  Forests 55 

5.  A  Letter  from  John  Nobleman 60 

6.  A  Visit  from  Kis-Kish-Kee 73 

7.  Letters  to  John  Nobleman 79 

8.  Kis-Kish-Kee  Returns 92 

9.  David  Meets  the  Methodist  Preacher 103 

10.  More  Letters  to  John  Nobleman 130 

11.  Mr.  Prior  Returns 147 

12.  Nauvoo  as  Seen  by  Reverend  Prior 165 

13.  Another  Fourth  of  July  in  Nauvoo 173 

14.  Letters  from  Nauvoo 194 

15.  The  Tragedy  at  Carthage 211 

16.  John  Nobleman  Returns 220 

17.  The  Rift  in  the  Lute 230 

18.  An  Apostolic  Summons 242 

19.  The  Wedding  and  the  Farewell 258 

20.  Closing  Scenes 273 

21.  Glad  Tidings 291 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Frontispiece,  Ruins  of  the  Temple  at  Nauvoo 

Haun's  Mill  massacre 32 

Nauvoo — from  below  the  city 73 

"The  trysting  place" 128 

The  Nauvoo  House 168 

The  "Mansion  House" 200 

Carthage  Jail 217 

The  Expulsion  from  Nauvoo 272 

President  Joseph  Smith  288 


Timbers  for  the  Temple 


Chapter  One 

IN  THE  ROSE  GARDEN 

THE  young  artist  stepped  back  from  his 
work  with  a  profound  sigh  of  relief.  "Well, 
it  is  done,"  he  said.  "It  is  as  good  as  I  can 
make  it,  but  it  will  hardly  bear  comparison  with 
the  original." 

He  flung  back  the  long  damp  locks  from  his 
forehead,  and  inhaled  another  draught  of  the 
sunny  June  air.  The  girl  who  had  been  sitting 
on  a  rustic  bench  posing  for  the  miniature,  leaped 
to  her  feet  and  ran  forward  to  scan  the  likeness. 

"May  I  see  it  now?"  she  cried.  "I  have  posed 
for  days  and  days,  it  seems  most  like  forever,  and 
you  have  never  let  me  look  at  the  painting  even 
once." 

She  was  a  slip  of  a  girl,  probably  seventeen 
years  of  age,  with  blue  eyes  and  yellow  hair,  and 
a  sweet  and  winsome  face. 

"Yes,  little  sister,"  the  artist  replied,  "you  may 
see  it  now.  But  I  fear  you  will  be  disappointed." 


10  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

The  girl  came  to  the  little  table  where  the  artist 
worked.  It  was  strewn  with  brushes  and  paint 
tubes.  And  before  her  lay  the  object  of  her 
curiosity,  a  miniature  in  oil  on  ivory. 

She  clapped  her  hands  with  delight  when  she 
saw  it,  and  gayly  hopped  about  in  girlish  aban- 
don. "Why,  it  is  lovely!"  she  exclaimed.  "Only 
it  is  ever  and  ever  so  much  better  looking  than  I 
am.  David,  you  will  be  a  great  painter  sometime 
—why,  you  are  a  great  painter  now,  come  to 
think  about  it!" 

A  third  person  came  forward  from  the  shad- 
ows of  the  rose  garden  where  he  had  been  loung- 
ing, watching  the  two.  He  seemed  a  little  older 
than  either  of  them.  He  was  tall  and  strong, 
with  handsome  and  regular  features. 

He  stood  with  the  easy,  confident  poise  of  an 
athlete.  A  soft  black  slouch  hat  rested  upon  his 
head,  partly  covering  the  long  black  locks  that  he 
wore  in  the  fashion  of  the  time. 

He  stood  behind  his  brother  David  and 
scanned  the  miniature,  while  the  girl,  having  ex- 
pressed her  enthusiasm  by  an  ebullition  of  excla- 
mations and  praises,  resumed  her  seat. 

"It  is  indeed  fine  work,  brother  mine,"  said 
John  Nobleman,  when  he  had  scrutinized  the 


In  the  Rose  Garden  11 

miniature.     "Old  La  Fraunce  has  taught  you 
well,  and  they  say  he  learned  his  art  in  Paris." 

"Yes,"  replied  David,  eagerly,  "the  credit,  if 
there  is  any,  belongs  to  Monsieur  La  Fraunce.  I 
am  so  grieved  that  he  is  now  dead.  If  I  could 
only  have  continued  under  him — and  then  I  miss 
him  for  himself." 

"Well,  I  shall  certainly  not  give  Monsieur  La 
Fraunce  all  the  credit.  He  did  well — but  with 
a  good  pupil.  It  takes  brains  to  paint  such  a 
picture,  brains  mixed  with  paints,  no  matter 
what  the  training  has  been.  And  it  takes  artis- 
tic genius.  I  could  never  paint  such  a  picture- 
not  in  a  thousand  years.  An  academy  of  La 
Fraunce  in  ten  millenniums  could  not  teach  me 
to  paint." 

"Ho — no,  perhaps  not  to  paint,"  replied  David 
Nobleman,  "but  think  of  the  things  you  can  do. 
You  are  so  strong  and  brave  and  handsome.  I 
can  paint,  true,  but  I  could  not  trounce  Big  Bull 
Steiner  as  you  did  when  he  terrorized  the  chil- 
dren at  the  picnic  Saturday.  I  cannot  lie  at  full 
length  on  the  ground  and  spring  to  my  feet  with- 
out touching  hands  to  the  soil.  I  cannot  shoot  a 
running  deer,  or  row  a  boat  all  day  up  stream, 
or  break  the  hearts  of  half  the  girls  in  - 

But  John  Nobleman  clapped  his  broad  hand 


12  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

over  his  brother's  mouth  and  silenced  him.  "That 
is  enough  on  that  chord,"  he  said.  "You  are  mu- 
sician as  well  as  painter,  and  should  not  harp  all 
day  on  one  string.  I  can  do  a  lot  of  physical  ex- 
ploits, true,  but  what  is  that  to  the  pictures  you 
paint,  the  poems  you  write,  the  music  you  com- 
pose, the  - 

But  he  in  turn  was  silenced.  The  girl,  pre- 
tending to  pout,  said,  "Must  you  two  now  fall 
into  your  usual  mutual  admiration  society  of  two 
members  while  I  sit  neglected  all  the  day?" 

With  one  accord  the  two  brothers  sprang  for- 
ward, bowing  before  her,  and  with  assumed  court- 
liness that  but  partly  concealed  their  real  tender- 
ness, they  ranged  themselves  on  either  side  of  her 
and  assisted  her  to  her  feet  and  escorted  her  to 
the  table  for  another  look  at  the  miniature. 
There  the  three  stood  with  arms  intertwined. 

"The  painting  is  fair,"  conceded  the  young  ar- 
tist, "but  see  what  God  has  painted,"  and  he 
turned  and  touched  his  finger  gently  to  the 
flushed  cheek  of  his  foster  sister. 

But  the  girl  broke  gayly  from  his  grasp  and 
ran  into  the  house,  laughing.  Left  to  themselves, 
the  two  brothers  fell  to  chatting.  The  out-of- 
doors  studio  had  been  arranged  under  a  broad 
spreading  maple  tree,  bordered  by  a  rose  garden. 


In  the  Rose  Garden  13 

The  June  air  was  even  then  fragrant  with  the 
perfume  of  the  roses. 

Behind  them  lay  the  beautiful  city  of  Nauvoo, 
rising  terrace  above  terrace  to  the  brow  of  the 
hill  on  which  stood  the  foundations  of  the  temple, 
upon  which  workmen  were  even  then  busy.  Be- 
fore them,  as  they  looked  from  their  garden  down 
the  slope  to  the  river,  spread  the  expanse  of  the 
Mississippi,  sweeping  in  a  splendid,  far-flung 
curve  about  the  city.  Across  the  river  they  could 
discern  the  wooded  shores  of  Iowa. 

"It  hardly  seems  possible  that  so  much  should 
have  been  accomplished  in  so  short  a  time,"  John 
was  saying.  "Here  are  brick  houses,  stores, 
flower  gardens,  where  so  recently  there  was  but 
a  wilderness  with  a  few  rude  dwellings." 

"Yes,  truly  it  is  yet  a  day  of  miracles,"  replied 
David,  ever  of  a  reverent  turn  of  mind,  "and 
here  faith  and  works  are  combined  to  produce 
the  miracles — and  there  have  been  sacrifices,  too 
— living  sacrifices.  Sometimes  I  think  these  very 
roses  are  red  with  the  blood  of  the  Saints." 

A  spasm  of  pain  racked  his  fine  features,  and 
again  he  tossed  back  the  brown  locks  from  his 
forehead,  ere  he  continued,  "Our  own  father  and 
mother  lie  buried  here,  stricken  by  that  dread 
fever  when  first  the  city  was  begun.  The  mortar 


14  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

in  all  these  houses  has  been  mixed  with  tears. 
But  so  it  must  be,  I  presume.  Every  great  and 
righteous  undertaking  uprears  itself  in  struggle 
and  in  sacrifice.  Faith  without  works  is  dead. 
If  only  we  shall  now  be  permitted  to  remain  and 
complete  our  work.  They  say  the  temple  must 
be  built,  and  that  speedily,  or  the  church  will 
come  under  condemnation." 

"That  reminds  me,"  replied  John  Nobleman, 
looking  keenly  at  his  brother,  to  see  how  the  news 
might  be  taken,  "the  expedition  up  the  river  to 
the  Wisconsin  pineries  to  cut  timbers  for  the 
temple  will  start  in  a  few  weeks." 

He  paused,  and  went  on  slowly,  "There  will 
be  two  boats  and  about  fifty  men.  I  have  been 
asked  to  take  charge  of  one  boat;  French  LaBar- 
ron  will  assist  me." 

"Oh,  John,  are  you  going?"  came  the  quick 
query. 

"I  think  that  I  shall,"  the  brother  answered. 
"Grandfather  has  given  his  consent.  We  have 
little  money  to  spare  nowadays  to  assist  in  the 
temple  building;  but  there  is  enough  for  the  fam- 
ily to  live  on,  and  I  can  give  my  time  and  labor 
in  that  way." 

A  cloud  had  crossed  the  brow  of  the  younger 
brother,  but  it  cleared  almost  instantly,  and  he 


In  the  Rose  Garden  15 

replied:  "We  shall  miss  you  very  much — as  the 
June  day  the  sunshine.  But  what  a  project,  to 
go  right  into  the  forest  and  hew  timbers  from 
the  great  trees;  timbers  for  the  temple." 

"Yes,  by  all  means  go.  I  too  will  see  what  I 
can  do.  Possibly  I  shall  get  to  work  on  my  long- 
planned  painting  of  the  angel's  visit,  to  hang  in 
the  temple  when  it  is  done.  I  may  even  be  able  to 
compose  a  hymn  for  the  choir  to  sing;  who 
knows?  With  God  all  things  are  possible,  I- 
even  I — may  do  something  for  the  temple,  while 
you  tread  rivers,  wrestle  with  forests,  conquer 
floods,  and  bring  great  timbers  for  the  temple. 
Timbers  for  the  temple — I  could  write  a  book 
on  that  theme." 

The  big  brother  smiled  down  at  his  slighter 
companion,  and  said,  "Your  work  will  be  greater 
than  mine.  I  may  possibly  chop  down  a  few  pine 
trees  and  hew  out  some  rough  timbers  for  skilled 
workmen  to  shape  and  place  in  the  temple.  But 
you  will  yet  complete  some  fine  work  of  art  to 
adorn  her  walls." 

But  the  younger  brother  shrugged  his  shoul- 
ders deprecatingly.  "I  shall  no  doubt  potter 
with  paints,"  he  answered,  "and  strum  the  harp. 
But  now  I  feel  like  resting.  This  last  job  is 


16  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

done.  Now  I  can  sleep  of  nights.  I  have  been 
tossing  about  half  the  night  for  a  fortnight,  mix- 
ing paints  and  trying  to  catch  the  illusive  like- 
ness. I  have  done  my  best  to  compass  and  gird 
it  and  bind  it  upon  ivory  in  oil  and  now  my  mind 
is  free  for  the  time  being." 

The  older  brother  frowned.  "You  should  not 
get  so  wrought  up,"  he  admonished.  "You  are 
too  temperamental.  Take  time  to  eat  and  sleep. 
You  will  work  better  and  live  longer." 

"Yes,"  laughed  the  other,  "no  doubt.  All  good 
advice.  But  tell  the  winds  to  be  still.  If  I  had 
your  stomach  and  your  nerves  I  could  eat  three 
hearty  meals  every  day  and  sleep  soundly  all 
night  long." 

"I  suppose  that  is  true,"  agreed  the  other,  "but 
then  you  would  not  paint  any  miniatures  or  write 
any  verses.  I  suppose  if  Milton  had  slept  soundly 
of  nights  he  would  not  have  lost  paradise  or  re- 
gained it.  A  violin  cannot  behave  like  a  dinner 
horn  if  it  would,  tooting  thrice  daily,  then  re- 
posing, but  must  needs  thrill  and  vibrate  to  thou- 
sands and  tens  of  thousands  of  harmonies,  and 
discords  as  well. 

"But  take  care  of  your  miniature,  now  it  is 


In  the  Rose  Garden  17 

quite  finished.    Put  it  in  a  safe  place  to  dry.  It 
is  worth  a  gold  mine  to  me." 

David  picked  it  up  tenderly.  "Whatever  its 
virtues,"  he  averred,  "they  are  there  because  it  is 
a  labor  of  love.  If  there  are  faults,  it  is  because 
I  have  not  truly  portrayed  the  original." 


TT— 1 


18  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Chapter  Two 

THE  SHADOW  LAND  OF  MEMORY 

Sunday,  July  8,  1842:  This  morning  I  preached  at  the  grove  to 
about  eight  thousand  people.  The  subject  matter  of  my  discourse 
was  from  the  Prophet  Daniel's  saying,  that  in  the  last  days  the 
God  of  heaven  would  set  up  a  kingdom,  etc.  In  the  afternoon  I 
heard  Brother  Hyrum  preach  at  the  grove. — Joseph  Smith's  Diary. 

A  SABBATH  stillness  pervaded  the  air.   A 
stranger  walking  down  the  hill  from  the 
temple  lot  in  Nauvoo  might  have  noted  at 
his  right,  just  before  he  turned  south  towards  the 
river,  a  great  grove  of  trees.     In  this  grove  a 
stand  had  been  erected  and  seats  were  arranged 
to  conform  to  the  natural  slope  of  the  hillside. 

If  indeed  groves  were  God's  first  temples,  here 
was  a  temple  not  less  holy  than  the  one  then 
building  on  the  hill.  A  concourse  of  people  was 
assembled  in  this  pleasant  out-of-door  kirk,  un- 
belled  and  unsteepled,  with  its  dome  of  blue  sky 
decorated  with  tracery  of  green  leaves  and  umber 
bough. 

The  sound  of  a  hymn  borne  along  upon  many 
voices  issued  from  this  primitive  auditorium,  and 
presently  the  audience,  dispersing,  came  pouring 


The  Land  of  Memory  19 

out  towards  the  highway  to  scatter  in  various  di- 
rections, some  towards  the  hill,  some  towards  the 
"flat,"  as  it  was  called. 

Among  those  who  took  the  road  towards  the 
river  was  one  young  couple,  David  Nobleman 
and  his  foster  sister,  Mildred.  They  paused  at 
the  turn  of  the  road  and  David  removed  his  hat 
and  held  it  in  one  hand  with  a  gesture  of  rever- 
ence, while  with  the  other  hand  he  pointed  to  the 
wonderful  panorama  before  them. 

"Look,  sister  mine,"  he  said.  "When  I  pass 
this  way  I  always  pause  at  this  particular  spot  by 
night  or  by  day  to  look  at  this  scene.  Some  day 
I  must  paint  it,  when  the  range  of  my  capabilities 
justifies  me,  or  the  inflation  of  my  egotism  be- 
trays me  to  such  an  undertaking." 

"Isn't  it  lovely!"  agreed  the  sister,  warmly. 
"No  wonder  the  Prophet  Joseph  named  this  city 
Nauvoo — that  means,  I  believe,  the  'beautiful 
city.'  You  must  paint  it — indeed  you  must — 
and  I  am  sure  that  you  could.  You  see  we  set 
no  limit  at  all  to  your  capabilities." 

"And  indeed  you  need  not  to  do  that,"  laughed 
her  companion.  "Nature  has  set  sufficiently  rigid 
limits.  But  you  are  well  justified  in  admiring 
this  scene.  I  have  talked  with  the  travelers  from 
far  and  near.  With  steamboat  captains  from 


20  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Saint  Louis  and  New  Orleans.  With  French 
voyageurs  from  up  the  river,  even  from  the  Saint 
Lawrence.  Yes,  with  men  who  have  seen  Venice 
— with  Monsieur  La  Fraunce,  who  knew  Paris, 
the  Seine,  all  France.  With  old  McTag,  who 
lived  in  the  Scotch  highlands,  and  with  Callahan, 
who  lived  by  the  lakes  of  Ireland.  All  tell  me 
this  is  the  most  beautiful  spot  for  a  city  that  they 
have  ever  seen  in  all  their  wanderings. 

"See  this  noble  hill  upon  which  the  temple  is  to 
stand.  See  this  terraced  slope  in  the  foreground, 
with  its  homes  and  farms.  In  the  middle  dis- 
tance see  that  wonderful  expanse  of  water,  in  its 
great  semicircle  about  this  out- jutting  cape  of 
land.  See  those  forests  and  rolling  wooded  hills 
in  the  background,  clear  to  the  distant  horizon. 
There  roam  the  wild  Indians,  even  to  this  day — 
children  of  incorrigible  Laman.  What  romances 
and  tragedies  those  forests  and  this  great  river 
have  witnessed!" 

"Do  you  truly  stop  at  this  point  every  time 
you  travel  this  road?"  queried  the  girl,  as  they 
pursued  their  way  again. 

"Yes,  always." 

"Then  I  shall  call  it  'David's  Lookout/  and  I 
too  shall  always  stop  here  and  admire  the  scene, 
and  so  I  may  grow  like  you,  good  and  true,  and 


The  Land  of  Memory  21 

ever  love  the  beautiful.  I  want  to  be  your  really 
truly  sister." 

The  boy  laughed  jubilantly.  "You  could  not 
be  more  a  sister,"  he  declared,  "had  we  rocked 
in  the  same  cradle.  And  as  for  growing  good  and 
true — you  embarrass  me.  Better  take  note  of 
John;  he  it  is  who  will  deserve  the  family  name 
of  Nobleman."  With  a  characteristic  gesture  he 
tossed  the  brown  locks  back  from  his  high,  white 
forehead. 

They  continued  their  walk  until  they  had 
reached  the  Nobleman  home.  They  came  in 
through  the  back  way,  pausing  in  the  rose  gar- 
den. 

"How  grandfather  toiled  to  make  this  gar- 
den," said  the  girl,  musingly.  "He  transplanted 
these  rose  bushes  fully  grown  and  brought  them 
all  the  way  from  Quincy,  and  made  this  lovely 
garden,  because  grandmother  so  lamented  the 
rose  garden  that  she  used  to  have  in  far-off  Kirt- 
land." 

They  entered  the  home  and  passed  through  to 
the  veranda  that  ran  along  the  front  of  the  house. 
Upon  the  veranda,  in  an  easy  chair,  sat  an  aged 
woman,  apparently  asleep.  Her  hair  was  white 
as  snow  and  her  face  delicate  and  waxlike. 


22  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

As  they  approached,  she  roused  herself  and 
called,  "Is  that  you,  William?" 

"No,  grandmother,"  answered  the  girl,  "it  is 
not  grandfather.  It  is  David  and  Mildred." 

"Sit  down,  children,"  the  grandmother  bade 
them.  "This  past  year  my  eyes  have  failed  me 
more  and  more.  I  can  no  longer  distinguish  one 
from  another  of  the  family.  Is  John  with  you?" 

"No,"  answered  David,  as  he  stood  by  her  side 
and  stroked  her  snowy  hair.  "John  stayed  be- 
hind to  talk  with  the  brethren  about  some  mat- 
ters." 

"What  day  is  this?"  queried  the  aged  woman. 

"This  is  Sunday,  grandmother." 

"Yes,  yes.    I  remember.    And  the  date?" 

"It  is  the  third  day  of  July." 

"And  the  year?" 

"It  is  the  third  day  of  July,  1842,"  answered 
the  boy,  smiling. 

"Yes,  yes.  It  is  hard  for  me  to  remember  the 
times.  One  day  is  like  another  now.  And  one 
year  is  like  another.  Where  have  you  been?" 

"We  have  been  to  the  meeting." 

"Where  do  they  meet  now,  children?" 

"In  the  grove,  grandmother,"  replied  the  girl, 
who  had  taken  a  seat  at  her  side.  "You  should 
have  seen  the  people.  It  was  like  a  great  confer- 


The  Land  of  Memory  23 

ence.  It  was  said  that  there  were  eight  thousand 
people  present ;  but  David  thinks  there  were  not 
so  many.  But  it  was  wonderful.  So  many  flock- 
ing in  from  every  direction." 

"Who  preached  to-day,  Mildred?" 

"Brother  Joseph  Smith  preached  this  morning, 
and  Brother  Hyrum  preaches  this  afternoon. 
David  and  I  have  agreed  to  fast  to-day,  so  we 
will  need  no  dinner,  and  we  will  sit  here  and  talk 
with  you,  grandmother  dear." 

"What  did  Brother  Joseph  preach  about, 
child?" 

"He  told  us  about  the  sayings  of  the  Prophet 
Daniel,  that  in  the  last  days  God  would  set  up 
a  kingdom  that  should  never  more  be  thrown 
down.  It  was  a  wonderful  sermon.  And  he 
looked  so  good  and  so  grand  as  he  delivered  it — 
with  such  force  and  power,  and  everyone  sat  so 
still,  as  if  they  were  afraid  they  would  miss  a  sin- 
gle word.  And  after  he  had  finished  they  all 
settled  back  and  relaxed  and  a  great  sigh  went 
up  from  the  whole  audience.  Surely  a  man  not 
inspired  of  God,  and  never  taught  to  preach, 
could  not  hold  such  an  audience  that  way.  How 
can  men  think  that  he  is  a  bad  man?  If  he  were, 
it  would  show  in  his  face.  But  instead  all  is 
frankness,  light,  and  purity." 


24  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

"But  men  who  hate  cannot  see,"  interjected 
David.  "They  say  that  love  is  blind.  But  it  is 
hate  that  is  blind.  When  Paul  hated  the  Chris- 
tians he  was  blind ;  but  when  he  fell  in  love  with 
Jesus  scales  fell  from  his  eyes  and  he  saw  clearly. 
Some  day  I  will  paint  a  picture  of  Love  restor- 
ing sight  to  blind  Hate — then  she  will  hate  no 


more." 


"I  have  been  thinking  about  the  past,"  mused 
the  grandmother.  "There  is  little  else  I  can  do 
now.  Do  you  mind  if  I  tell  you  what  I  have  been 
thinking  about?" 

The  two  young  people  had  heard  her  story 
again  and  again.  But  they  assented  gravely. 
They  knew  that  now  she  lived  wholly  in  the  past 
— the  shadow  land  of  memory. 

"I  have  told  you,"  began  the  grandmother,  as 
one  who  groped  for  a  beginning  to  her  story, 
"of  our  persecution  in  Independence,  Missouri; 
how  the  mob  came  upon  us — let  me  see,  it  was 
in  July.  It  must  have  been  nine  years  ago  this 
month.  It  seems  longer. 

"They  warned  us  to  leave  the  country  at  once. 
I  remember  that  some  of  the  men  begged  for 
time.  And  they  said,  Yes,  they  would  give  us 
time;  that  we  might  have  fifteen  minutes.  Then 
they  took  Bishop  Partridge  and  another  man  and 


The  Land  of  Memory  25 

tarred  and  feathered  them.  And  they  destroyed 
the  publishing  house.  I  was  there  the  next  day 
when  the  mob  came  again,  and  six  of  the  brethren 
offered  their  lives  as  a  ransom,  if  the  mob  would 
leave  the  rest  of  us  in  peace  and  spare  our  lives." 

"Who  were  those  men?"  asked  the  girl. 

"They  were  Edward  Partridge,  John  Corrill, 
W.  W.  Phelps,  John  Whitmer,  A.  S.  Gilbert, 
and  Isaac  Morley." 

"They  were  all  noble  men,"  commented  David. 
"Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this,  that  he 
should  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friend.  Such  an 
offer  should  have  drawn  forth  a  chivalrous  recog- 
nition." 

"But  it  did  not,"  answered  the  grandmother. 
"That  was  but  the  beginning  of  our  troubles.  We 
were  all  driven  out.  Every  one.  We  suffered 
much  at  the  hands  of  the  mobbers.  For  a  time 
we  found  shelter  in  Clay  County,  and  later  we 
began  to  gather  into  Caldwell  County,  which  had 
been  set  aside  by  the  State  for  our  own  uses,  at 
Far  West  and  other  places. 

"But  the  very  worst  of  our  troubles,  it  seemed 
to  me,  came  at  Haun's  Mill.  John  and  David 
and  their  father  and  mother  were  at  Far  West  at 
that  time.  But  your  Grandfather  William,  and 
I,  were  moving  in  a  covered  wagon  and  we  had 


26  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

stopped  for  a  little  while  at  Haun's  Mill  to  rest 
our  horses  and  grind  some  corn. 

"Twenty  or  more  families  had  collected  at  that 
place,  where  there  was  a  mill  and  a  blacksmith's 
shop.  Some  were  living  in  rude  shacks,  some  in 
tents,  and  some  in  emigrant  wagons.  We  were 
like  the  disciples  of  old  who  Paul  says  were 
obliged  to  hide  in  the  caves  and  dens  of  the  earth. 
The  edict  of  Governor  Boggs  had  gone  forth  that 
we  were  to  be  driven  from  the  State  or  extermi- 
nated. The  mobs  and  the  militia  had  merged 
with  one  purpose — our  murder." 

She  paused  for  a  moment  and  seemed  lost  in 
reverie,  then  resumed  her  narrative,  apparently 
talking  to  herself  more  than  to  her  young  audi- 
tors: "Yet  we  were  happy — yes,  you  may  think 
it  strange,  but  we  were  happy.  We  had  our  little 
prayer  meetings.  And  we  got  the  children  to- 
gether in  classes  and  taught  them  to  spell  and 
read. 

"I  remember  it  was  in  the  Indian  summer — 
yes,  it  was  in  October — October  30.  The  forest 
trees  under  which  we  had  camped  were  all  golden 
and  scarlet — so  beautiful.  There  was  a  soft  haze 
in  the  air,  and  everything  seemed  so  peaceful  that 
we  were  lulled  into  a  false  sense  of  safety.  I  was 
old,  even  then,  to  be  camping  out  and  to  be  driven 


The  Land  of  Memory  27 

from  place  to  place.  But  I  was  still  quite  strong 
and  active.  It  was  about  four  o'clock  in  the  af- 
ternoon. 

"The  sun  hung  low  and  red  in  the  lovely  In- 
dian summer  sky.  I  had  made  preparations  to 
cook  the  evening  meal  over  our  camp  fire.  Men 
and  women  were  at  work  in  the  camp  and  about 
the  mill.  Children  were  laughing  and  playing 
everywhere. 

"But  suddenly  from  out  the  timber  to  the 
north  and  west  of  us  burst  three  companies  of 
armed  men,  over  two  hundred  in  number.  They 
began  immediately  to  fire  upon  us.  Oh,  what  a 
scene  of  terror  followed.  I  wish  that  I  could 
forget  it!  But  I  cannot! 

"Our  men  ran  out  and  swung  their  hats  and 
cried  for  quarter — but  there  was  no  mercy. 
Women  and  children  ran  to  and  fro,  screaming 
and  trying  to  hide  in  the  woods  and  under  the 
banks  of  Shoal  Creek.  Some  of  our  men  seized 
guns  and  ran  into  the  blacksmith  shop,  which 
was  of  logs,  and  tried  to  defend  the  camp.  But 
the  logs  were  far  apart  and  the  building  was  soon 
riddled  with  bullets.  Those  who  were  not 
wounded  or  dead  fled  to  the  woods." 

Again  the  aged  narrator  paused,  seeming  to 
be  lost  in  the  dreadful  memories  of  the  past. 


28  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

David  and  Mildred  hoped  that  she  might  desist, 
and  they  tried  to  attract  her  attention  to  other 
matters.  But  her  mind  was  not  to  be  diverted. 
It  seemed  that  she  could  not  draw  away  from  the 
terror-haunted  memories  if  she  would.  She  con- 
tinued: 

"The  attacking  party  then  ran  forward  and 
with  corn  knives  butchered  the  wounded  and  mu- 
tilated the  dead.  Little  Sardius  Smith,  a  ten- 
year-old  boy,  a  dear  little  fellow,  had  hidden  un- 
der the  bellows  in  the  blacksmith  shop.  They 
shot  him  there  as  he  lay  cowering  and  trembling. 

"Brother  Thomas  McBride,  an  old  Revolu- 
tionary soldier,  seventy-eight  years  old,  was  shot 
down.  He  surrendered  his  gun,  and  the  cruel, 
cruel  men  hacked  him  to  pieces  with  a  corn  knife. 

"After  they  had  finished  their  work  and  plun- 
dered the  camp,  the  mob  fled  away,  scarcely  hav- 
ing taken  more  than  an  hour  and  a  half  at  the 
dreadful  business.  I  had  hidden  under  the  bank 
of  the  creek  near  the  mill  dam.  Mildred  was  with 
me.  She  had  become  separated  from  her  father 
and  mother. 

"When  we  dared  to  venture  forth  again,  what 
an  awful  change  had  taken  place.  The  ground 
was  strewn  with  dead  and  wounded.  Night  was 
falling.  Oh,  what  an  awful  night !  Can  eternity 


The  Land  of  Memory  29 

blot  out  the  memory  of  it!  The  sun  had  set  and 
a  great  blood-red  moon  had  taken  its  place.  A 
cold  gray  fog  crept  up  from  the  stream  and  lay 
like  a  face  cloth  over  the  pallid  countenances  of 
our  dead.  There  were  dreadful  sights  in  the 
moonlight — oh,  there  were  dreadful  sights !  And 
dreadful  sounds! 

"The  dogs  of  the  camp  were  howling  dismally 
over  the  still  forms  of  their  masters.  The  cattle 
had  smelled  the  blood  and  raved  and  bawled. 
Little  children  were  sobbing  and  moaning  and 
the  wounded  were  crying  for  help. 

"One  by  one  the  fugitives  crept  back  to  camp, 
and  those  who  were  able  to  do  so  began  to  care 
for  the  wounded.  We  had  no  surgeons  and  few 
medicines.  But  we  did  what  we  could.  And  by 
and  by,  when  we  had  restored  order  as  best  we 
might  and  had  made  the  sufferers  comfortable  so 
far  as  was  possible,  the  men  who  were  left  alive 
gathered  us  all  together  and  we  passed  the 
night  in  prayer  and  singing  a  dirge — Moroni's 
lamentation.  Was  there  ever  such  a  night  in 
free  America? 

"The  next  day  we  were  in  constant  terror  of 
the  mob — that  it  might  return.  Our  dead  we 
must  dispose  of.  Nature  allows  no  respite  in 
such  matters.  We  could  not  dig  graves.  So  we 


30  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

were  obliged  to  carry  them  one  by  one  to  an  old 
shallow  well  and  drop  them  in.  The  dead  were 
at  rest — but  the  living  were  broken-hearted.  We 
buried  seventeen  thus,  in  one  common  sepulcher 
— among  them  the  form  of  the  little  boy,  so  small, 
so  pathetic,  and  the  mangled  remains  of  the  old 
veteran  of  the  Revolution. 

"I  had  found  my  husband  among  the  wounded. 
He  is  still  lame  from  the  wound.  But  Mildred's 
father  was  dead.  And  her  mother  was  so  over- 
come that  she  never  recovered.  She  died  some 
weeks  later." 

The  young  people  had  listened  to  this  dread- 
ful story,  too  horribly  true,  with  strained  faces. 
They  had  heard  it  before,  and  fain  would  not 
have*  listened  again — and  yet  it  seemed  to  hold 
them  fascinated. 

But  at  the  mention  of  her  father  and  mother 
Mildred  suddenly  doubled  forward  and  crumpled 
down  in  her  chair  as  though  stricken  by  mortal 
agony.  Hard  sobs  racked  her  slight  young 
frame. 

"Great  God,"  cried  David,  sweeping  the  brown 
locks  back  from  his  brow,  "what  memories  for  an 
old  woman  to  carry  to  her  grave!" 

"Yes,  and  great  God,  what  memories  for  a  girl 
to  carry  with  her  all  her  life  long,"  said  John 


The  Land  of  Memory  31 

Nobleman  as  he  stepped  upon  the  veranda,  ac- 
companied by  his  grandfather. 

The  old  woman  had  paused  in  her  narrative, 
and  seemed  now  to  recover  herself  from  her  ab- 
straction. She  reached  forth  one  trembling,  wax- 
like  hand  and  touched  the  shoulder  of  the  weep- 
ing girl. 

"What  have  I  done,  Mildred?"  she  queried. 
"I  have  broken  your  heart  afresh.  How  can  you 
ever  forgive  a  poor  old  woman  who  lives  in  the 
past?  It  is  not  right  for  me  to  cloud  your  young 
life  with  the  memory  of  wrongs  that  I  have  long 
ago  forgiven  and  that  I  should  forget  but  can- 
not. Forgive  me,  Mildred,  if  you  can." 

"Oh,  grandmother,"  sobbed  the  girl,  "forgive 
you!  You,  who  took  me  in  when  I  was  left  home- 
less, and  made  me  your  daughter!  You,  who 
gave  me  these  noble  brothers!  You,  who  saved 
me  from  the  awful  mob  and  brought  me  here  to 
this  lovely  place!  Why,  I  can  never,  never  repay 
you  in  this  world!" 

"Hush,"  said  the  grandmother,  laying  her 
right  hand  upon  the  golden  hair  of  the  girl.  "Do 
not  talk  so.  For  now  the  debt  is  ours.  Since  I 
have  become  so  helpless  and  blind  we  all  depend 
upon  you.  You  are  now  the  little  housewife,  and 
one  among  a  thousand.  What  could  I  do  with- 


32  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Ql 

out  you?  What  could  these  big  boys  do  without 
you?  Who  would  write  grandfather's  letters  for 
him  if  it  were  not  for  you?" 

Turning  her  unseeing  eyes  from  the  girl,  she 
felt  about  her  with  her  left  hand  in  the  manner 
of  the  blind,  and  inquired,  "Has  father  come 

yet?" 

"Yes,  mother,"  answered  William  Nobleman, 
stepping  forward  to  her  side  and  taking  the  ex- 
tended hand,  "I  am  here." 

He  was  an  old  man,  with  white  hair  and  beard, 
and  he  limped  because  of  the  old  Haun's  Mill 
wound,  but  his  form  was  still  very  erect  and  vig- 
orous. One  glance  at  his  countenance  revealed 
the  source  of  David  Nobleman's  spiritual  herit- 
age. There  was  the  same  clean  pallor  of  com- 
plexion; the  same  high,  white  forehead;  the 
dreamy  eyes ;  the  fine,  sensitive  features ;  the  spir- 
itual quality. 

Having  assured  his  wife  of  his  presence  by 
voice  and  touch,  he  then  turned  his  attention  to 
the  weeping  girl.  Gently  stroking  her  bowed 
head,  he  said  to  her:  "Little  daughter,  do  not 
grieve  so.  It  is  true  that  your  mother  sleeps  in 
an  unmarked  grave  somewhere  in  Missouri,  and 
your  father  reposes  in  a  strange  and  unnatural 
sepulcher  with  others  of  his  brethren;  yet  they 


HAUN'S  MILL  MASSACRE 

"But  suddenly  from  out  the  timber  to  the  north  and  west  of 
us  burst  three  companies  of  armed  men,  over  two  hundred  in  num- 
bers. .  .  A  scene  of  terror  followed." 


The  Land  of  Memory  33 

died  in  a  good  cause.  They  have  suffered  no 
more,  rather  less  than  was  suffered  by  the  dis- 
ciples of  old.  Certainly  no  more  than  Jesus  suf- 
fered for  them  and  for  us.  And  Jesus  said: 
'Blessed  are  you  when  men  shall  revile  you,  and 
hate  you,  and  persecute  you,  and  say  all  manner 
of  evil  against  you  falsely,  for  my  sake/  ' 

He  paused  and  looked  out  over  the  river.  He 
seemed  to  see  afar  off,  and  a  rapt,  mystical  ex- 
pression that  was  characteristic  of  him  at  times, 
came  into  his  eyes.  He  continued:  "Your  reli- 
gion has  cost  you  much,  and  so  it  will  mean  much 
to  you.  Therefore  you  will  receive  great  bless- 
ings. You  are  more  fortunate  than  some  of  those 
who  do  not  suffer,  neither  do  they  serve.  I  fore- 
see that  in  years  to  come  when  the  name  Latter 
Day  Saint  may  be  lightly  borne,  many  young 
people  who  bear  it  will  forget  its  significance,  be- 
cause they  find  it  so  easily  borne." 

The  grandmother  had  not  followed  the  con- 
versation. She  had  again  lapsed  into  her  reverie 
and  once  more  began  her  narrative:  "That  very 
winter  we  were  driven  from  the  State.  I  walked 
across  the  ice  of  the  Mississippi — yes,  I,  in  my 
old  age.  And  with  me  was  Mildred.  And  also 
there  was  Emma,  the  wife  of  the  Prophet,  fleeing 

from  the  wrath  of  the  mobbers,  carrying  her  child 
TT— 2 


34  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

in  her  arms,  and  little  Joseph,  her  son,  clinging 
to  her  skirts.  'Twas  a  sad  journey." 

At  a  sign  from  his  grandfather,  John  Noble- 
man stepped  forward.  "Grandmother,"  he  said, 
"the  air  is  growing  chilly,  even  if  it  is  now  July. 
Let  me  help  you  into  the  house." 

Thus  the  painful  scene  closed.  With  easy 
grace  he  gathered  her  into  his  strong  arms  and 
carried  her  into  the  house  and  placed  her  care- 
fully upon  a  couch.  She  did  not  again  at  that 
time  revert  to  her  interrupted  story. 

The  room  into  which  John  Nobleman  had  car- 
ried his  grandmother  was  well  furnished.  The 
walls  were  lined  with  books,  and  there  were 
paintings,  some  of  them  from  David's  brush.  The 
books  and  furnishings  had  been  stored  in  Kirt- 
land  during  the  Missouri  troubles  and  had  been 
brought  to  Nauvoo  quite  recently. 

Relieved  of  his  slight  burden,  John  Nobleman 
straightened  his  tall,  athletic  form,  and  paced 
about  the  room  restlessly,  fiercely.  His  face  was 
hard  and  set,  his  hands  clenched. 

He  burst  forth :  "It  makes  my  blood  boil,  when 
I  hear  about  those  fiendish  atrocities.  It  makes 
me  wish  that  I  had  been  there  with  a  thousand 
good  men,  well  armed.  Oh,  to  have  been  there 


The  Land  of  Memory  85 

with  a  good  rifle.  Must  such  things  go  un- 
avenged? 

"Yes,"  he  continued,  "and  even  now  there  is 
talk  all  through  the  country  of  more  mobs — at 
Warsaw  and  at  Carthage.  Let  them  come !  This 
time  we  will  defend  ourselves,  since  none  will  de- 
fend us.  We  will  protect  our  women  and  our 
children  and  our  homes.  That  is  why  we  have 
the  Nauvoo  Legion.  You  have  never  consented 
to  my  joining;  but  a  uniform  awaits  me  to- 
morrow if  you  do  not  feel  too  badly  about  it." 

The  old  man  regarded  his  grandson  fixedly  for 
a  time.  Then  he  replied,  "John,  no  good  can 
come  of  this  preparation  among  the  Saints  for 
armed  defense." 

The  rapt  abstracted  gaze  returned  to  his  eyes. 
"I  see,"  he  went  on,  "nothing  but  sorrow  piled 
upon  sorrow  if  it  is  persisted  in.  Jesus  said,  'My 
kingdom  is  not  of  this  world,  else  would  my  serv- 
ants fight.'  " 

"But  grandfather,"  cried  the  youth,  "the 
Prophet  Joseph  is  in  favor  of  the  Legion." 

"I  know,  I  know,"  answered  the  old  man,  "but 
any  man,  no  matter  though  he  may  be  inspired  in 
spiritual  matters,  may  make  mistakes  in  some 
directions.  Even  the  prophets  are  far  from  in- 
fallible, as  history  plainly  shows.  I  tell  you  this 


36  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

arming  is  a  mistake.  So  far  as  it  was  tried  in 
Missouri  it  brought  us  only  trouble.  Even  though 
we  were  regularly  enrolled  as  State  militia,  we 
were  treated  as  rebels  when  defending  our  own 
homes  and  farms,  our  wives  and  children. 

"But  what  legal  objection  can  there  be?"  de- 
manded the  youth.  "The  Nauvoo  Legion  is  or- 
ganized and  commissioned  under  the  State  of 
Illinois.  It  is  as  regular  as  any  body  of  troops. 
Every  member  is  sworn  to  support  the  Constitu- 
tion. We  are  required  to  serve  in  the  militia  any- 
way. And  you  know  that  Brother  Joseph  wrote 
to  Governor  Thomas  Carlin  and  asked  him  to 
advise  us  what  to  do  in  case  the  mob  should  come 
upon  us  again. 

"Well,  Brother  Joseph  has  received  the  reply. 
I  saw  it  myself,  to-day.  And  he  tells  us  to  de- 
fend our  persons  and  our  rights  by  force,  if  nec- 
essary. And  why  not?  It  is  the  first  law  of  na- 
ture. Even  Christ  did  not  say  that  we  should 
turn  the  other  cheek  again  and  again.  At  one 
time  he  told  his  servants  to  buy  swords.  What 
for?  For  toothpicks,  think  you?" 

"I  know,"  replied  the  old  man,  "you  can  make 
out  a  perfectly  legal  and  moral  case.  We  are 
violating  no  law.  All  good  citizens  should  sup- 
port us  in  that  position.  But  still  I  affirm — I 


The  Land  of  Memory  87 

know;  intuitively — that  we  shall  suffer  for  it. 
Our  work  is  spiritual.  If  for  no  other  reason,  I 
am  opposed  to  this  preparation  because  it  will 
be  so  futile. 

"The  world  is  against  us.  If  the  appeal  is  to 
arms,  they  will  crush  us  by  force  of  numbers. 
We  must  conquer  the  world  by  truth,  by  love,  by 
humility,  by  charity,  by  forgiveness.  What  if 
we  die  undefended  and  unresisting!  Martyr 
blood  is  a  thousandfold  more  potential  than  bul- 
lets! You  shall  see!" 

"I  cannot  agree  with  you,"  replied  John.  "I 
must  depend  upon  my  own  judgment.  May  I, 
or  may  I  not  join  the  Legion?" 

"You  are  of  legal  age,"  replied  the  old  man. 
"You  must  take  your  own  course  in  the  matter. 
If  you  wish  to  ride  in  the  parade  to-morrow  I 
shall  make  no  further  objections.  But  still  I 
affirm  that  no  good  will  come  from  it." 

"Possibly  not,"  answered  the  youth.  "And  of 
course  it  is  true  that  I  am  soon  to  go  to  the  Wis- 
consin forests.  But  still  I  feel  that  I  must  have 
my  membership  in  the  Legion.  I  can  go  on 
leave." 

David  and  Mildred  joined  them  a  little  later, 
and  David  reverted  to  the  former  subject  of  con- 
versation: "Grandfather,  why  did  the  church  suf- 


38  Timbers  for  the  Temple  « 

fer  from  persecution  in  Missouri?  Were  our  peo- 
ple at  fault?" 

The  old  man  answered  thoughtfully,  "No 
doubt  our  own  people  must  share  a  part  of  the 
blame,  in  this  way:  There  were  some  among 
them  who  were  unwise  and  did  not  live  up  to  their 
profession.  And  there  were  some  who  boasted 
great  things  and  thus  irritated  their  neighbors. 
But  nothing  that  they  did  furnished  even  an  ex- 
cuse for  their  treatment.  Those  were  not  capital 
offenses. 

"It  is  the  old  story  of  persecution.  Jesus  said 
that  as  he  had  been  persecuted  so  should  his  fol- 
lowers be  persecuted.  That  has  been  the  history 
of  the  church  in  all  ages.  They  hated  Jesus  with- 
out a  cause;  and  as  he  said,  the  servant  is  not 
greater  than  the  Master.  Even  as  he  predicted, 
the  time  came  when  those  who  killed  the  dis- 
ciples thought  that  they  were  doing  God  service." 

The  old  man  paused  a  moment,  then  continued: 
"There  are  always  contributing  causes,  differing 
probably  in  each  instance." 

He  went  to  his  desk  and  took  out  some  yellow 
papers.  "I  have  here  a  copy  of  the  circular  dis- 
tributed by  the  Jackson  County  mob.  It  says 
here  in  one  place:  'Pretending  as  they  did  and 
now  do  to  hold  personal  communion  and  con- 


The  Land  of  Memory  89 

verse  face  to  face  with  the  most  high  God;  to  re- 
ceive communications  and  revelations  direct  from 
heaven;  to  heal  the  sick  by  laying  on  of  hands; 
and,  in  short,  to  perform  all  the  wonder-working 
miracles  wrought  by  the  inspired  apostles  and 
prophets  of  old.' 

"You  see  to  a  large  extent  it  was  a  matter  of 
prejudice  against  our  attitude  on  revelation, 
healing,  and  so  on.  It  was  religious  bigotry. 

"And  here  is  a  copy  of  the  resolution  adopted 
by  the  citizens  of  Clay  County.  Notice  this  one 
statement  in  particular: 

"  'The  religious  tenets  of  this  people  are  so 
different  from  the  present  churches  of  the  age 
that  they  always  have  and  always  will  excite  deep 
prejudices  against  them  in  any  populous  country 
where  they  may  locate.' 

"Then,  too,"  the  old  man  added,  "our  men 
were  ardent  Abolitionists,  while  we  were  sur- 
rounded by  slave  sentiment." 

David  lifted  his  head  proudly.  "Well,  I  am 
glad  that  we  were  on  the  right  side  of  the  ques- 
tion," he  declared.  "The  Book  of  Doctrine  and 
Covenants  says  that  it  is  not  right  that  one  man 
should  be  in  bondage  to  another." 

"Yes,"  replied  grandfather,  the  far-away  look 
returning  to  his  eyes,  "and  I  fear  that  this  coiin- 


40  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

try  will  yet  be  purged  with  suffering  and 
drenched  with  blood  because  that  true  principle 
is  not  recognized. 

"But  here  is  another  statement: 

"  'These  are  some  of  the  reasons  why  these 
people  have  become  objects  of  the  deepest  hatred 
and  detestation  to  many  of  our  citizens.  They 
are  eastern  men,  whose  manners,  habits,  customs, 
and  even  dialect  are  essentially  different  from  our 
own;  they  are  nonslaveholders,  and  opposed  to 
slavery,  which,  in  this  peculiar  period  when  aboli- 
tion has  reared  its  deformed  and  haggard 
visage  in  our  land,  is  well  calculated  to  ex- 
cite deep  and  abiding  prejudices  in  any  com- 
munity where  slavery  is  tolerated  and  prac- 
ticed/ " 

"I  see,"  said  David,  "ours  was  the  offense  of 
the  'outlander.'  We  were  guilty  of  the  crime 
of  being  different.  We  were  foreign  devils/ 
as  the  Chinese  would  say.  Well,  with  religious, 
political,  and  sectional  prejudice  against  us,  no 
wonder  we  got  into  trouble." 

"True,"  replied  the  grandfather;  "but  the 
greatest  of  these  is  religious  prejudice.  Reli- 
gious bigotry  is  the  blackest  root  that  ever  grew 
up  and  blossomed  and  bore  the  bloody  fruit  of 
martyrdom,  as  it  did  at  Haun's  Mill  and  Far 


The  Land  of  Memory  41 

West.  And  I  greatly  fear  that  another  harvest 
is  ripening  for  us  to  reap  here  at  Nauvoo." 

David  Nobleman  had  listened  attentively  to 
his  grandfather's  conversation,  but  now  he 
turned  to  Mildred  and  said:  "Come,  little  sister, 
dry  your  eyes  and  come  with  me  to  the  rose 
garden.  The  past  we  cannot  help.  Let  it  not 
rob  us  of  the  present  and  the  future.  See,  here 
is  one  big,  late-blooming  rose,  sweet  and  fra- 
grant as  the  breath  of  morning.  Let  me  hold 
it  here  by  your  cheek  and  coax  back  the  colors 
that  have  fled  away." 

Thus  he  cajoled  the  girl  and  petted  her  until 
indeed  the  color  came  back  to  her  cheeks  and 
the  sparkle  to  her  eyes.  And  presently  her  clear 
laugh  rippled  forth  in  response  to  his  quips. 


42  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Chapter  Three 

THE  NEW  NAME 

Monday,  July  4,  1842. — The  Legion  appeared  on  parade  under 
command  of  Brigadier-General  Wilson  Law,  ranking  officer  of 
the  line.  .  .  .  Immense  numbers  of  spectators  were  present,  includ- 
ing the  passengers  of  three  steamers  from  neighboring  cities  and 
villages.  .  .  .  A  few  Lamanites  were  present,  There  was  little 
drinking.  Two  individuals  were  fined  ten  dollars  and  twenty-five 
cents  for  offering  whisky  for  sale. — Joseph  Smith's  Diary. 

r~plHE  NEXT  morning  the  Nobleman  house- 
hold was  awakened  early  by  the  crack  of 
rifles  and  the  sound  of  cannon  that  shook 
the  house  and  rattled  the  windows.  Mrs.  Noble- 
man started  up  in  bed,  her  sightless  eyes  star- 
ing into  space.  "The  guns,  the  guns!"  she  cried. 
"The  mob,  the  mob!" 

But  her  husband  quieted  her  alarms :  "Do  not 
be  frightened,  mother.  This  is  Independence  Day 
— the  Fourth  of  July.  The  people  are  celebrat- 
ing. The  guns  are  fired  by  neighbors — friends." 

She  lay  down  again,  trembling.  "I  cannot 
bear  the  sound  of  guns,"  she  complained.  "I 
heard  too  many  guns  at  Haun's  Mill." 

The  young  people  were  soon  astir.  It  was  a 
great  day,  for  these  people,  though  driven  and 


The  New  Name  48 

oppressed,  not  properly  protected  by  their  Gov- 
ernment in  time  of  dire  need,  were  yet  patriotic, 
and  eagerly  celebrated  the  anniversary  of  Ameri- 
can independence. 

As  efficient  and  dutiful  as  she  was  sweet  and 
dainty,  Mildred  prepared  the  morning  meal,  and 
did  other  necessary  housework.  John  Noble- 
man went  away  with  some  other  young  men  to 
prepare  for  the  parade  of  the  Legion  and  to  ob- 
tain his  uniform. 

David  and  Mildred,  arrayed  for  the  holiday, 
strolled  about  the  streets  watching  the  teeming 
crowds  congregate.  Attracted  by  the  hoarse 
blast  of  steamboat  whistles,  they  hastened  down 
to  the  water's  edge.  Up  the  river  they  could 
see  heavy  clouds  of  smoke,  and  soon  it  became 
evident  that  two  excursion  steamers  were  racing 
for  the  landing. 

The  race  was  a  close  one.  The  steamers  were 
black  with  excited  passengers.  The  crowds  upon 
the  bank  cheered  wildly  and  waved  handkerchiefs 
and  flung  hats  in  air.  The  steamers  drew  inshore 
and  the  winner  tied  up  at  the  coveted  spot,  while 
the  other  swung  in  a  little  farther  down  stream. 
The  crowds  began  to  pour  down  the  gangplanks. 
Bands  played,  flags  waved,  all  was  excitement. 
The  arrival  of  a  third  excursion  boat  a  few 


44  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

minutes  later  still  further  augmented  the  crowds 
and  the  commotion.  If  Sunday  had  been  a 
quiet  day  of  worship,  this  was  to  be  a  noisy  day 
of  bubbling  patriotism. 

Across  the  great  stream,  a  mile  and  a  half 
away,  long  canoes  were  putting  out  from  the 
Iowa  shore.  Mere  specks  they  looked  to  David 
and  Mildred.  But  in  a  very  short  time  they  had 
traversed  the  expanse  of  water  and  came  gliding 
gracefully  towards  the  landing.  They  were  filled 
with  Indians — warriors,  squaws,  papooses.  Some 
of  them  were  gayly  decked  in  their  native  cos- 
tumes, with  bright  blankets  and  gaudy  head- 
dresses. 

The  braves  dipped  their  paddles  into  the  shin- 
ing stream,  apparently  without  effort,  yet  the 
boats  shot  forward  in  a  way  that  indicated  skill- 
fully applied  power.  These  children  of  the  forest 
and  plain,  true  sons  of  wayward  Laman,  came 
ashore  and  mingled  with  the  crowds  during  the 
entire  day.  Silent  and  statuesque  they  stalked 
about,  apparently  interested  in  nothing,  yet  see- 
ing everything,  and  adding  a  picturesque  qual- 
ity to  the  gathering. 

As  they  passed  David  and  Mildred,  one  of  the 
chiefs  paused  and  looked  fixedly  at  them  a  long 
time.  He  was  a  tall  and  rugged  specimen  of 


The  New  Name  45 

humanity,  with  typical  Indian  features  of  the 
nobler  type — the  great  Roman  nose  and  high 
cheek  bones  of  the  fighting  Indian.  They  felt 
that  he  must  be  aged,  yet  could  not  have  drawn 
that  conclusion  from  his  raven  hair  or  virile 
movements. 

"That  your  squaw?"  he  inquired,  indicating 
the  girl. 

"Mine  to-day,"  laughed  the  young  man.  "Who 
can  answer  for  to-morrow?" 

"Heap  fine  squaw,"  was  the  guttural  comment, 
apparently  with  great  approval. 

He  looked  again  long  and  hard  at  the  young 
man.  "My  name  Kis-Kish-Kee,"  he  said. 
"Brother  to  Black  Hawk." 

Drawing  something  from  his  belt,  he  handed 
it  to  David.  "Take  this,"  he  said.  "Man  from 
far  north  give  it  me  many  moons  ago.  Look 
like  you." 

The  old  Indian  strode  on,  and  David  looked 
with  wonder  at  the  object  that  had  been  handed 
him.  It  was  a  hunting  knife,  with  finely  carved 
handle  and  blade  of  tempered  steel.  He  turned 
it  over  in  his  hand  and  read  the  trade-mark  on 
the  blade,  an  English  firm.  And  then  his  eye 
was  attracted  to  a  name  upon  the  blade.  "D. 


46  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Nobleman."  The  eyes  of  the  two  young  people 
opened  still  wider  in  blank  astonishment. 

Soon  they  were  attracted  by  the  sound  of 
martial  music  from  the  hill,  and  hastened  to  a 
point  of  vantage  from  which  to  view  the  parade 
of  the  Legion. 

"There  they  come,"  cried  Mildred.  "How 
many  there  are  of  them!  They  say  there  are 
twenty-six  companies — about  two  thousand  men. 
It  looks  as  if  they  were  all  out  to-day." 

Crashing  music  approached  them,  with  an  un- 
dertone of  regular  hoof  beats.  The  commanding 
officers,  mounted  on  horseback,  led  the  way. 
Then  came  the  bands,  and  next  the  cavalry 
and  infantry.  .  It  was  a  fine  body  of  men. 

With  eager  eyes  the  two  watched  for  John 
Nobleman.  At  last  he  appeared,  riding  a  big 
black  charger,  and  looking  more  handsome  than 
ever  in  his  new  uniform.  He  doffed  his  hat  as 
he  spied  them,  and  careless  of  discipline,  Mildred 
ran  at  his  side  for  a  few  paces. 

He  stooped  down  and  whispered  to  her, 
"Where  can  you  meet  me  at  three  o'clock?" 

"At  David's  Lookout,"  she  answered. 

"Where  is  that?"    he  queried,  laughing. 

"At  the  bend  of  the  road,  below  the  Temple 
Lot." 


The  New  Name  47 

"Oh,  I  know!  I  have  seen  the  lad  there  often 
enough,  dreaming  over  the  landscape.  It  is  a 
good  name  for  the  place." 

Long  before  three  o'clock  that  afternoon  the 
eager  girl  had  taken  her  place  at  David's  Look- 
out. She  clapped  her  hands  joyfully  when  John 
Nobleman  came  riding  down  the  hill  alone  on 
his  big  black  horse. 

He  drew  rein  at  her  side,  practicing  for  her 
delectation  his  newly  learned  salute.  He  seemed 
made  for  the  saddle — for  the  uniform — and  with 
easy  grace  swung  to  the  ground  at  her  side. 

"Up  with  you,  Midget,  onto  Thunderbolt,  and 
I  will  walk,"  he  said.  "See  how  light  you  are," 
and  with  hardly  an  effort  he  caught  her  and 
tossed  her  to  the  saddle. 

Holding  the  reins  with  one  hand,  and  putting 
the  other  arm  about  her,  he  walked  by  her 
side.  "Where  to?"  he  queried. 

"Where  do  you  wish  to  go?"  she  asked. 

"Wherever  you  please,"  he  answered.  "Up 
on  the  hill — over  the  hill — down  to  the  river — 
into  the  river — anywhere  you  say." 

"Well,  then,  let  us  take  the  road  to  the  river." 

So  they  took  their  way  down  the  long,  long 
hill  towards  the  great,  great  river. 

As  they  moved  along  she  took  his  hat  from 


48  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

his  head  and  ran  her  fingers  through  his  long, 
black  hair.  "John  Nobleman,"  she  said  to  her- 
self, "John,  noble  man." 

"Do  you  think  as  much  of  me  as  brother  David 
does?"  she  asked  aloud.  He  looked  at  her  oddly, 
and  countered.  "Can  love  be  weighed  or  meas- 
ured?" 

"You  have  not  answered  my  question, 
Yankee,"  she  persisted.  "One  question  does  not 
answer  another." 

He  tightened  his  arm  about  her  almost 
roughly,  but  replied  in  his  habitually  low,  even 
tones,  "I  think  more  of  you  than  I  do  of  any 
other  creature  in  all  this  broad  land,  or  in  any 
land  beyond  the  seven  seas,  or  on  any  ship  on 
any  of  the  seven  seas." 

The  girl  laughed  joyously,  "Why,  you  and 
David  are  of  one  piece!"  she  said.  "You,  too, 
are  a  poet.  Saul  is  numbered  with  the  prophets." 

He  laughed  in  response.  "No,  I  am  not  a 
poet,  like  David.  I  could  not  write  a  verse  or 
paint  a  picture,  and  I  could  scarcely  carry  a  tune 
on  a  platter." 

"No,  you  do  not  write  poems  or  paint  pictures, 
but  you  think  them,  and  when  you  talk,  which 
is  none  too  often,  you  talk  them.  But  why  do 
you  never  call  me  Little  Sister,  as  David  does?" 


The  New  Name  49 

He  looked  at  her  oddly  again.  "This  little 
sister  business  is  bound  to  play  out  sometime," 
he  replied,  quietly.  "It  will  play  out  for  one, 
and  the  other  will  be  obliged  to  keep  it  up.  If 
I  am  the  one  to  keep  it  up,  there  will  be  time 
enough  to  begin  later." 

She  looked  at  him  with  wide  blue  eyes,  clear 
and  innocent.  "I  don't  know  what  you  are 
driving  at,"  she  affirmed.  "But  I  like  to  hear 
David  call  me  Little  Sister." 

"But  I  have  another  name  for  you." 

"Tell  me;  what  is  it?"  she  cried,  eagerly. 

"No  one  has  ever  heard  it,"  he  answered;  "it  is 
not  for  public  use." 

He  drew  her  head  down  to  him,  and  putting 
his  lips  to  her  ear,  whispered  a  word.  She 
laughed  delightedly,  and  the  blood  surged  to 
her  cheeks. 

"Is  it  a  good  name?"  he  asked. 

She  nodded  her  head  energetically. 

"Will  you  always  remember  it?" 

"Always — forever — truly." 

"What  did  they  do  on  the  hill?"  she  asked, 
presently. 

"Oh,  Brother  Joseph  reviewed  the  troops  and 

made  a  speech." 
TT— 3 


50  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

"He  did?    What  did  he  say?" 

"Well,  he  said  that  the  Legion  had  been  organ- 
ized to  defend  the  public  institutions  of  the  coun- 
try, and  the  Flag,  and  should  be  a  source  of 
strength  to  the  Government  on  this  wild  west- 
ern frontier.  He  also  said  that  it  was  designed 
to  protect  the  Saints  in  case  another  mob  should 
come  against  them  and  try  to  destroy  them.  He 
declared  that  we  must  protect  our  constitutional 
right  to  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness, 
and  our  right  to  worship  God  according  to  the 
dictates  of  our  own  consciences." 

"Did  anyone  else  speak?" 

"Yes,  General  Swanzey,  of  Iowa,  spoke.  He 
expressed  friendship  towards  Nauvoo,  and  com- 
plimented us  on  the  discipline  of  our  troops." 

"Grandfather  does  not  agree  with  you  in 
these  matters?"  queried  the  girl. 

"No,  he  thinks  we  ought  not  to  arm  to  defend 
ourselves." 

"And  David?" 

"Well,  he  stands  with  grandfather  on  that 
question.  He  argues  that  we  cannot  defend  our 
cause  with  guns,  but  that  with  the  truth  one  man 
can  whip  a  thousand.  It  sounds  fine,  but  I  fear 
it  is  not  practical." 


The  New  Name  51 

"But  David  and  grandfather  would  not  be 
afraid  to  fight!"  the  girl  declared. 

John  laughed.  "Afraid?  No!  They  are  both 
Puritan.  David  would  walk  up  to  an  armed 
mob  any  day  if  he  thought  it  his  duty.  And  he 
would  probably  go  smiling  and  singing.  And 
the  funny  part  of  it  is  the  chances  are  they  would 
let  him  go  through.  He  never  has  any  rows  with 
the  other  young  fellows.  He  just  goes  his  high 
and  serene  way  and  takes  what  he  thinks  belongs 
to  him,  and  they  make  way  for  him.  If  you 
think  he  has  not  a  masterful  spirit  behind  his 
gentle  ways,  you  are  mistaken. 

"And  as  for  grandfather,  he  does  not  know 
what  fear  is.  Yet  you  never  see  him  angry." 

"I  did  once,"  replied  the  girl,  laughing  at  the 
recollection.  "Only  the  once.  And  then  he  was 
so  quiet  and  controlled  that  I  did  not  know  for 
a  while  he  was  just  boiling  inside. 

"He  got  a  letter  from  that  scoundrel,  J.  C. 
Bennett.  It  had  some  sort  of  bribe  in  it.  There 
were  bills  inclosed. 

"Grandfather  told  me  to  get  pens  and  paper 
and  write  a  letter  for  him.  I  asked  him  if  it 
would  be  a  long  letter — if  I  should  need  more 
than  one  quill.  He  said,  'No,  I  think  it  will  be 
rather  short.' 


52  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

"So  I  got  the  paper  and  ink  and  pen  and  sat 
down,  and  this  is  what  he  dictated: 

"  'Mr.  J.  C.  Bennett.  Sir;  I  am  returning 
herewith,  intact,  your  inclosure,  as  nearly  as  pos- 
sible untouched.  I  being  a  gentleman,  and  my 
amanuensis  being  a  lady,  I  cannot  tell  you  what 
I  think  of  you ;  but  you,  being  neither,  can  read- 
ily imagine  what  I  would  like  to  say.'  " 

The  two  took  their  way  leisurely  down  to  the 
river  front.  Thunderbolt  wet  his  feet  at  the  brink 
and  drank  from  the  mighty  stream.  They  loi- 
tered there  until  the  crowds  came  down  to  the 
river  and  the  excursion  boats  put  off.  Some  of 
these  excursionists  had  come  from  idle  curiosity, 
some  merely  to  celebrate  and  have  a  good  time, 
others,  from  Warsaw  and  neighboring  hostile 
towns,  to  spy  out  the  city  of  the  Saints. 

Presently  the  Indians,  too,  came  from  town 
and  filed  into  their  canoes.  Old  Kis-K'ish-Kee 
paused  and  looked  hard  at  John  Nobleman,  and 
at  Mildred  mounted  on  Thunderbolt.  "Huh,"  he 
grunted,  "  'nother  man's  squaw  so  soon!" 

As  they  turned,  each  with  a  sigh,  towards 
home,  John  said,  "This  has  been  the  very  hap- 
piest day  of  my  life,"  and  looking  up  at  his  foster 
sister  he  whispered  again  the  name  that  was 
known  only  to  the  two, 


The  New  Name  58 

As  the  family  assembled  for  the  evening  meal, 
William  Nobleman  remarked,  "Well,  children, 
it  has  been  an  eventful  day.  But  it  has  been 
orderly  and  sober.  I  am  glad  that  Nauvoo  lives 
up  to  her  good  resolutions  regarding  strong 
drink." 

"Yes,"  said  David;  "early  in  the  day  two  men 
offered  whisky  for  sale,  but  they  were  taken  in 
and  fined  ten  dollars  and  twenty-five  cents.  That 
seemed  to  dampen  the  ardor  of  the  rumsellers." 

Something  occurring  to  his  mind,  he  sprang 
up  and  brought  the  knife  that  Kis-Kish-Kee  had 
given  him,  and  placed  it  in  his  grandfather's 
hand. 

"Where  did  you  get  this?"  the  elder  man  in- 
quired. 

David  told  his  story  of  the  gift.  The  old  man 
scrutinized  the  knife  closely.  A  far-away  look 
came  into  his  eyes.  "I  had  a  brother  named 
David  Nobleman  who  looked  much  like  you," 
he  said.  "He  came  to  America  in  an  early  day 
— to  Canada.  He  never  returned,  and  we  were 
told  that  he  died  somewhere  in  the  West.  I  have 
no  doubt  at  all  that  this  is  his  knife.  I  remember 
that  he  had  one  something  like  it. 

"How  strange  that  this  inanimate  thing  should 


54  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

come  back  to  the  family  in  this  way,  while  the 
owner  should  have  lost  himself  to  all  our  search- 
ing. Many  and  many  the  strange  story  that 
might  be  told  about  the  adventurous  wanderers 
who  came  to  this  new  land  and  disappeared  in 
the  Indian  country  never  to  return." 


Timbers  for  the  Temple  55 

Chapter  Four 


OFF  FOR  THE  PINE  FORESTS 

Wednesday,  July  6,  1842. — Transacted  business  in  the  city,  and 
rode  to  La  Harpe  with  Emma.  Two  keel  boats,  sloop-rigged  and 
laden  with  provisions  and  apparatus  necessary  for  the  occasion, 
and  manned  with  fifty  of  the  brethren,  started  this  morning  on 
an  expedition  to  the  upper  Mississippi,  among  the  pineries,  where 
they  can  join  those  already  there,  and  erect  mills,  saw  boards  and 
plank,  make  shingles,  hew  timber,  and  return  next  spring  with 
rafts,  for  the  Temple  of  God,  and  Nauvoo  House,  to  beautify  the 
city  of  Nauvoo,  according  to  the  Prophets. — Joseph  Smith's  Diary. 

THE    placid   face   of   the    Mississippi   was 
veiled  with  a  silvery  fog,  from  which  at 
times  could  be  heard  the  shouts  of  hidden 
boatmen,  and  the  rattle  of  oarlocks.     Boats  of 
the   fishermen   drawing   inshore,    appearing   at 
first  sight  ghostlike,  suddenly  materialized,   as 
though  newly  created  from   the   fog   and   river 
chaos. 

David,  looking  at  the  scene,  repeated  a  verse 
that  had  come  to  him: 


'A  shout  rises  up  from  the  face  of  the  river, 

For  a  great  white  fog  has  come  up  from  the  sea, 

And  the  ships  in  passing  are  hailing  each  other, 
As  friends  might  be." 


56  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

At  the  foot  of  Main  Street  men  were  busy 
making  last  preparations  for  the  departure  of  the 
expedition  up  the  river  to  the  Wisconsin  forests 
to  cut  timber  for  the  temple.  John  Nobleman 
was  among  them,  working  busily  as  any,  and  as- 
sisted by  his  friend,  French  LaBarron,  a  French 
Canadian,  skilled  in  woodcraft  and  river  lore. 

There  were  two  keel  boats,  sloop-rigged,  and 
laden  with  provisions  for  the  expedition.  Camp 
equipage,  saws,  axes,  bedding,  littered  the  shore. 
Busy  hands  were  packing  this  duffel  to  the  boats. 

Everything  in  readiness,  the  men  scattered  to 
their  homes,  to  reassemble  at  an  appointed  hour. 
John  Nobleman  walked  homeward  with  his 
brother  David.  Mildred  met  them  at  the  door 
with  a  sober  face.  She  had  prepared  a  pleasant 
farewell  breakfast,  but  no  one  seemed  very 
hungry,  and  no  one  was  very  talkative. 

"We  may  as  well  not  attempt  to  tell  you  how 
we  shall  miss  you,"  said  the  grandfather;  "it 
would  be  too  long  a  story.  You  would  not  get 
started  to-day,  I  fear.  But  you  are  going  on  a 
noble  mission,  and  a  good,  clean,  healthful  one, 
too." 

"I  imagine  you  would  much  rather  I  were  in 
the  forests  than  drilling  with  the  Legion,"  re- 
plied John,  with  a  smile.  "Well,  I  have  arranged 


Off  for  Pine  Forests  57 

with  a  friend  to  keep  Thunderbolt,  my  uniform 
is  packed  away,  and  I  leave  nothing  in  sight  to 
remind  you  of  my  connection  with  the  militia." 

The  meal  finished,  the  young  man  kissed  his 
aged  grandmother  good-by,  and  shook  the  hand 
of  his  grandfather  warmly.  David  prepared  to 
accompany  him  to  the  boat.  Beckoning  Mildred 
to  his  side,  John  Nobleman  said:  "Will  you  go 
to  the  landing  to  see  us  off?" 

"No,"  she  replied,  with  down  drooping  eyes, 
"I  don't  believe  that  I  can  bid  you  good-by  be- 
fore all  those  men.  But  I  will  be  at  David's 
Lookout.  Watch  for  me  there." 

He  shook  her  hand  but  did  not  kiss  her,  and 
did  not  whisper  the  word.  A  constraint  seemed 
to  have  fallen  upon  them.  Turning  his  back 
resolutely  upon  them,  he  walked  away  with 
David,  carelessly  tossing  his  rifle  across  his  shoul- 
der as  he  did  so.  The  girl  watched  him  go  down 
the  path,  swinging  along  so  easily  and  gracefully. 

Then  her  eyes  turned  to  his  brother  David, 
walking  at  his  side,  slighter  in  form,  but  certainly 
not  less  picturesque,  as  he  talked  with  animation, 
making  an  occasional  characteristic  gesture 
with  his  left  hand.  He  turned  a  moment  and 
blew  her  a  kiss,  saying,  "Farewell  for  an  hour, 


58  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

little  sister,  while  I  see  this  gallant  pioneer  safe 
aboard  his  vessel  and  off  upon  his  adventure." 

The  morning  fog  had  cleared  away  and  the 
sun  was  shining.  A  great  many  people  had  as- 
sembled to  see  them  off.  Joseph  Smith  was  there 
to  shake  the  hand  of  each  of  the  fifty  men  who 
were  to  form  the  expedition. 

Prayer  was  offered,  hymn  was  sung,  and  they 
clambered  aboard  with  shouts  and  jests.  When 
all  were  set  and  fixed  they  cast  off,  John  Noble- 
man's boat  in  the  lead.  The  oars  dipped  in  the 
water  in  rhythmic  succession.  A  small  sail  was 
run  up  on  each  of  the  boats  to  claim  the  help  of 
such  winds  as  blew.  John  Nobleman  waved  a 
farewell  to  David,  who  stood  bareheaded  upon 
the  shore. 

"  "Take  care  of  Mildred,"  he  shouted,  and 
added,  "I  would  give  a  farm  if  I  had  that 
miniature  to  take  with  me." 

"Why  did  you  wait  so  long  to  ask  for  it?" 
cried  David  after  them.  But  they  had  passed 
beyond  hearing.  And  as  the  boats  swung  up 
stream  the  men  began  to  sing : 

"The  morning  breaks,  the  shadows  flee; 
Lo!  Zion's  standard  is  unfurled!'* 

As  they  forged  around  the  great  bend  of  the 


Off  for  Pine  Forests  59 

river  and  drew  away  from  the  city,  John  Noble- 
man looked  back  and  scanned  the  hillside.  But 
he  was  not  looking  at  the  terraced  hill,  or  the 
many  homes,  or  the  foundations  of  the  temple. 
He  was  looking  towards  David's  Lookout.  And 
there  he  spied  a  girlish  figure  and  caught  the  flut- 
ter of  a  white  handkerchief. 

He  stood  up  in  the  boat  and  waved  his  big 
black  slouch  hat,  and  so  standing  watched  the 
girl  until  intervening  trees  hid  her  from  his  view. 

When  Mildred  turned  from  her  vigil,  no 
longer  able  to  discern  the  two  boats,  she  found 
David  standing  silently  at  her  side.  They  joined 
hands  and  walked  down  the  hill  together,  but 
neither  spoke. 


50  Timbers  for  the  Temple 


Chapter  Five 

A  LETTER  FROM  JOHN  NOBLEMAN 

Thursday,  October  18,  1842. — The  brethren  arrived  from  Wis- 
consin with  a  raft  of  about  90,000  feet  of  boards  and  24,000  cubic 
feet  of  timber  for  the  temple  and  Nauvoo  House. — Joseph  Smith's 
Diary. 

THE  hot  months  of  summer  passed  slowly 
away,  and  at  last  October  came  with  cool 
breezes  and  the  zest  of  life  that  returns 
with  the  first  hints  of  approaching  autumn.  A 
dash  of  ruddy  and  golden  colors  began  to  creep 
into  the  leaves  of  oak  and  maple.  And  David 
and  Mildred,  strolling  down  the  hill  from  the 
temple,  often  paused  and  stood  hand  in  hand 
contemplating  the  beauties  of  the  foliage,  or 
loitered  at  David's  Lookout  to  scan  with  never- 
failing  enthusiasm  and  admiration  the  great 
shining  river  below  them  and  the  encircling  for- 
ests and  plains. 

It  had  become  with  them  almost  a  religious 
observation  to  visit  this  spot  at  least  once  each 
day,  when  the  weather  was  at  all  favorable.  Some- 
times indeed  they  climbed  the  hill  to  the  Lookout 
when  the  weather  was  most  inauspicious,  and 


A  Letter  From  John  61 

standing  closely  wrapped,  in  the  driving  rain, 
watched  the  storm  roar  across  the  waters  whose 
white  billows  they  saw  at  times  through  the  swirl. 

Or  again  they  would  time  their  visit  by  the  full 
moon,  and  standing  beneath  its  effulgent  radi- 
ance, look  out  upon  a  scene  too  strange  and 
lovely  to  seem  real.  'Twas  like  an  enchanted 
dream  to  them.  Long  they  stood  in  silence,  on 
such  an  occasion,  too  awed  to  speak,  until  with  a 
little  catch  in  her  throat  Mildred  said,  "Let  us 
go  home,  David."  And  he  replied,  "All  right, 
little  sister.  I  feel  as  Paul  did  when  he  looked 
into  the  third  heaven  and  saw  things  not  lawful 
to  be  uttered." 

And  so  they  took  their  wonder  way  home  while 
the  moon  climbed  her  golden  stairs  among  the 
stars  and  at  last  stood  serenely  above  the  newly 
begun  temple  on  the  hill — and  river  and  valley 
and  hill,  from  the  plashy  brink  of  the  great 
stream  to  the  cornerstone  of  the  temple,  were 
flooded  with  molten  glory,  yea,  and  all  the  blue 
vault  of  heaven  far-arched  above  them  was  filled 
with  pristine  glory.  It  was  not  hard  for  them 
at  such  times  to  believe  in  modern  revelation. 
They  could  well  imagine  this  to  be  the  city  of 
the  Saints  and  could  feel  God's  presence  there 
in  power  and  might. 


62  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

At  such  times  David  would  quote  reverently 
from  the  Book  of  Doctrine  and  Covenants,  from 
a  revelation  given  in  1832  (85:  2,  3,  12)  : 

"This  Comforter  is  the  promise  which  I  give 
unto  you  of  eternal  life,  even  the  glory  of  the 
celestial  kingdom;  which  glory  is  that  of  the 
church  of  the  Firstborn,  even  of  God,  the  holiest 
of  all,  through  Jesus  Christ,  his  Son;  he  that  as- 
cended up  on  high,  as  also  he  descended  below 
all  things,  in  that  he  comprehended  all  things, 
that  he  might  be  in  all  and  through  all  things,  the 
light  of  truth,  which  truth  shineth.  This  is  the 
light  of  Christ.  As  also  he  is  in  the  sun,  and  the 
light  of  the  sun,  and  the  power  thereof  by  which 
it  was  made.  As  also  he  is  in  the  moon,  and  is  the 
light  of  the  moon,  and  the  power  thereof  by 
which  it  was  made.  As  also  the  light  of  the  stars, 
and  the  power  thereof  by  which  they  were  made. 
And  the  earth  also,  and  the  power  thereof,  even 
the  earth  upon  which  you  stand. 

"And  the  light  which  now  shineth,  which 
giveth  you  light,  is  through  him  who  enlighten- 
eth  your  eyes,  which  is  the  same  light  that 
quickeneth  your  understandings;  which  light 
proceedeth  forth  from  the  presence  of  God,  to 
fill  the  immensity  of  space.  The  light  which  is 
in  all  things ;  which  giveth  life  to  all  things ;  which 


A  Letter  From  John  63 

is  the  law  by  which  all  things  are  governed ;  even 
the  power  of  God  who  sitteth  upon  his  throne, 
who  is  in  the  bosom  of  eternity,  who  is  in  the 
midst  of  all  things.  .  .  . 

"The  earth  rolls  upon  her  wings;  and  the  sun 
giveth  his  light  by  day,  and  the  moon  giveth 
her  light  by  night ;  and  the  stars  also  giveth  their 
light,  as  they  roll  upon  their  wings,  in  their  glory, 
in  the  midst  of  the  power  of  God.  Unto  what 
shall  I  liken  these  kingdoms,  that  ye  may  under- 
stand? Behold,  all  these  are  kingdoms  and  any 
man  who  hath  seen  any  or  the  least  of  these,  hath 
seen  God  moving  in  his  majesty  and  power." 

On  the  thirteenth  day  of  October  they  were 
about  to  take  their  way  homeward  from  their  ac- 
customed tryst  at  the  Lookout,  when  Mildred 
stopped  with  a  little  cry,  and  pointing  far  up  the 
river  exclaimed,  "See  there,  David!  What  is 
that?" 

Looking  intently  they  soon  discovered  that  the 
thing  that  had  attracted  her  attention  appeared 
to  be  a  raft.  They  watched  it  patiently  for  some 
time.  At  last  David  ran  down  the  hill  to  their 
home  and  returned  breathlessly  with  a  field  glass. 
With  its  aid  they  could  discern  quite  plainly  the 
raft,  with  boats  trailing  behind,  with  cooking  and 
sleeping  cabins,  with  men  guiding  it  on  its  course 


64  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

and  even  assisting  its  progress  with  long  poles. 
They  could  perceive  signals  apparently  set  to 
attract  the  attention  of  those  on  shore. 

They  ran  down  the  hill,  joined  as  they  went 
by  others.  Passing  the  Mansion  House  they 
arrived  at  the  river  front,  where  a  great  crowd 
soon  assembled.  And  in  due  time  the  raft  made 
its  way  inshore.  Men  put  off  in  boats  and  soon 
it  was  learned  that  this  was  a  company  of  the 
brethren  from  the  party  that  had  gone  to  the 
Wisconsin  pineries  some  time  prior  to  the  de- 
parture of  John  Nobleman  and  his  companions. 

They  had  brought  with  them  a  raft  consisting 
of  ninety  thousand  feet  of  boards  and  twenty- 
four  thousand  cubic  feet  of  timbers,  for  the  tem- 
ple and  the  Nauvoo  House;  the  first  fruits  of 
the  pineries. 

One  of  those  who  leaped  ashore  from  the  first 
boat  to  land,  sought  out  David  and  Mildred  and 
delivered  into  their  care  a  letter  sealed  with  John 
Nobleman's  seal,  the  red  wax  bearing  an  impress 
of  a  dove  with  a  letter  in  her  beak,  and  the  words, 
1  'Reply  quickly."  The  missive  was  directed  in 
John  Nobleman's  hand,  the  letters  heavy  and 
strong,  without  compromise,  yet  rather  graceful 
and  handsome  despite  their  vigor  and  careless- 
ness. 


A  Letter  From  John  65 

With  this  precious  missive  they  sped  for  home. 
Nor  did  David  notice  Mildred's  silence  and  her 
heightened  color.  Quite  preoccupied,  himself,  he 
thought  only  to  get  at  the  contents  of  the  letter, 
and  knowing  that  all  the  family  would  be  equally 
interested,  he  sought  the  home  circle. 

Having  reached  the  home  and  apprised  the 
aged  grandfather  and  nearly  blind  grandmother 
of  their  good  fortune,  he  broke  the  seal  and  pre- 
pared to  read  the  letter.  It  was  headed,  "In  the 
pine  forests  of  Wisconsin  Territory,  on  the 
Black  River,"  and  ran  on  in  the  characteristically 
informal  manner  of  personal  letters  of  corre- 
spondence: 

"Dear  David:  This  letter  is  for  all  the  family, 
though  I  address  you  as  the  young  man  of  the 
household,  meaning  thereby  no  disregard  to 
Grandfather  Nobleman.  I  take  this  occasion  to 
write  you  a  few  lines,  as  I  can  send  them  down 
stream  by  some  of  the  brethren  who  are  taking 
out  a  raft  of  lumber  for  the  temple. 

"I  have  already  described  our  trip  in  a  former 
letter.  I  hope  that  it  did  not  miscarry.  I  can 
now  only  attempt  to  give  you  in  a  rambling  way 
some  idea  of  my  manner  of  life  and  present  con- 
dition. I  certainly  never  was  in  better  health  or 

TT— 4 


66  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

spirits  than  now.  The  hard  work  and  the  fresh 
air  combined  seem  to  be  the  best  physicians  a 
man  might  employ,  and  their  prescriptions  are 
much  relished,  not  at  all  like  those  strange  mix- 
tures that  are  put  up  at  the  apothecary's  shop, 
that  smell  so  abominably  and  taste  so  much  worse 
than  they  smell,  and  I  suspect,  have  a  worse 
effect  even  than  one  might  judge  from  their  smell 
and  taste. 

"I  am  writing  this  in  the  bunk  house  by  the 
light  of  a  pine  torch.  Presently  I  shall  tumble 
into  my  bunk,  and  then  I  will  not  waken  or 
scarcely  stir  until  I  am  called,  all  too  early,  to 
turn  out  and  eat  breakfast  before  the  sun  rises— 
and  then  away  into  the  woods  for  a  hard  day's 
work.  If  I  nod  over  this  letter,  forgive  me,  I 
am  tired.  But  I  will  try  to  keep  awake  long 
enough  to  write  at  least  a  few  pages. 

"There  are  many  interesting  scenes  to  be  wit- 
nessed here.  For  instance,  last  week  about  fifty 
canoes  laden  with  Indians  came  filing  up  the 
river.  It  was  rather  an  inspiring  spectacle.  They 
made  camp  at  a  little  distance  below  the  mills. 

"The  next  day  a  party  of  the  head  men  came 
for  a*  council.  They  came  in  six  canoes,  and  were 
all  resplendent  in  paint  and  feathers  and  all  kinds 
of  gaudy  trappings.  As  the  bright  sun  shone  on 


A  Letter  From  John  67 

them  they  appeared  as  though  ornamented  with 
gold  and  silver — a  bright  pageant  in  many  col- 
ors— 'twould  have  delighted  the  artist  soul  of 
brother  David. 

"A  stranger  might  have  imagined  they  were 
come  to  war,  but  LaBarron  said  they  were  peace- 
ful. He  speaks  their  lingo.  They  are  Winne- 
bagos.  They  landed  and  came  to  the  mill  and  we 
met  with  them,  and  shook  hands,  and  they  said, 
'How!  How!'  And  truly  a  great  powwow  en- 
sued. They  smoked  their  pipes,  and  afterwards 
made  speeches  in  turn.  Some  of  the  speakers 
were  very  dignified  and  eloquent.  When  a  good 
point  was  made  the  others  all  shouted,  'Hear! 
Hear!'  Much  as  some  religious  white  people 
shout  amen,  or  clap  their  hands. 

"But  it  is  not  all  romance.  After  the  council 
we  heard  a  terrible  screaming  and  ran  out  to 
see  what  the  trouble  was.  A  squaw  was  running 
about  crying  and  an  Indian  brave  stood  with  his 
blanket  over  his  head.  But  as  we  came  out  he 
uncovered  his  head  and  spat  something  out  of 
his  mouth.  It  was  his  wife's  nose.  He  had  bitten 
it  off,  as  a  matter  of  discipline,  as  near  as  I  can 
judge. 

"None  of  the  other  Indians  took  the  slightest 
notice  of  the  affair.  Evidently  they  thought  he 


68  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

might  very  well  do  as  he  pleased  with  his  own 
property — 'twas  merely  a  matter  of  biting  his 
own  nose  off — a  matter  of  taste,  as  it  were. 

"I  was  headed  for  the  rascal  when  LaBarron 
stopped  me.  He  said  it  was  poor  policy  to  in- 
terfere in  little  family  differences ;  that  I  couldn't 
hope  to  settle  all  the  Indian  domestic  troubles 
in  Wisconsin  Territory,  so  better  not  begin.  Be- 
sides, he  said  if  I  interfered  I  might  have  the 
whole  tribe,  including  the  wife,  on  my  back. 

"Not  a  very  romantic  incident,  was  it?  I  hope 
it  does  not  make  Mildred  sick  to  read  about  it. 
It  must  have  been  two  days  later  that  LaBarron 
broke  out  snickering  to  himself.  I  asked  him 
what  the  matter  was,  and  he  said,  'I  wonder, 
Monsieur  John,  how  she  blow  de  nose  now,  ha! 
ha!  Maybe  she  let  de  wind  blow  eet.'  LaBar- 
ron's  jokes  are  not  always  the  most  refined  in 
spite  of,  or  perhaps  because  of,  his  aristocratic 
parentage — who  can  tell? 

"Not  all  the  Indians,  however,  may  be  judged 
by  the  acts  of  a  few  ruffians.  They  are  much 
like  white  folks  in  that  regard — some  are  good 
and  some  are  bad.  There  is  a  great  diversity  of 
character  among  them,  when  one  gets  enough 
acquainted  to  see  the  differences.  Of  course 
at  first  they  all  look  much  alike.  Some  of  them 


A  Letter  From  John  69 

are  honest  and  temperate  and  good-natured, 
while  others  are  quarrelsome  and  lazy  and  thiev- 
ing. But  I  fear  that  few  of  them  take  much 
thought  about  cleanliness. 

"They  came  into  our  camp  trying  to  sell  fish 
and  venison  and  maple  sugar.  I  was  for  buying 
some  sugar,  but  LaBarron  told  me  that  often 
they  strain  the  maple  sap  through  their  blankets. 
I  took  one  look  at  their  blankets  and  foreswore 
maple  sugar  of  the  Indian  vintage.  LaBarron 
laughed  hugely,  and  said,  'It  give  heem  de  ver* 
reech  flavor  an'  so  beau-tee- ful  color/ 

"They  weave  very  fine  baskets  and  stain  them 
in  designs,  using  stamps  or  dies  cut  out  of  raw 
potatoes.  They  use  fruit  juices  for  their  colors 
and  get  some  really  pretty  baskets  as  a  result.  I 
will  bring  one  of  them  home  to  Mildred  for  her 
trinkets. 

"We  do  not  need  to  buy  food  from  the  Indians. 
The  streams  are  full  of  fish.  Nearly  every  eve- 
ning I  take  my  line  and  fish  for  an  hour.  The 
woods  are  full  of  deer.  I  was  out  yesterday  with 
my  gun  and  brought  in  two  fine  fat  bucks.  And 
to-day  I  killed  my  first  bear.  I  came  upon  him 
in  a  berry  patch.  It  is  a  question  which  was  the 
more  surprised,  Bruin  or  myself.  But  I  recov- 
ered first.  To-night  we  will  have  bear  steak.  It 


70  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

is  necessary  that  we  should  replenish  our  provi- 
sions in  this  way;  so  David  need  have  no  com- 
punctions when  he  reads  my  account  of  hunting. 

"Also  there  are  great  flocks  of  passenger  pig- 
eons. Many  of  them  are  brought  into  camp  and 
help  to  supply  our  table.  The  woods  are  full  of 
berries  of  various  kinds,  in  their  season.  And 
there  are  wild  crabapples,  but  I  guess  the  latter 
are  not  yet  edible.  I  tried  to  eat  one  yesterday 
and  it  took  me  some  time  to  get  my  features  back 
into  plumb  again. 

"As  you  know,  we  found  the  party  of  brethren 
that  was  sent  up  here  last  September,  below 
Black  River  Falls.  They  had  obtained  the  mill 
site  from  one  Jacob  Spaulding.  At  the  time  of 
their  arrival  there  was  a  log  cabin,  a  small  mill,  a 
blacksmith  shop,  and  the  foundations  for  a  larger 
mill. 

"The  big  sawmill  is  now  up  and  in  running 
order,  and  a  warehouse  in  course  of  erection. 
There  are  also  a  number  of  rude  dwellings,  and 
bunk  houses. 

"There  is  one  place  near  here  that  I  must  de- 
scribe. It  is  a  level  plat  of  several  acres.  Pine 
trees  have  grown  up  thickly,  so  thickly  that  the 
trunks  shoot  up  for  many  feet  without  a  limb, 
then  branch  out,  forming  a  solid  canopy  that 


A  Letter  From  John  71 

shuts  out  the  sunlight  and  leaves  a  quiet,  dusk- 
like  twilight.  Everywhere  one  looks  he  sees  the 
straight  columns  of  the  pine  tree  trunks.  Under- 
foot is  a  three-inch  carpet  of  pine  needles  ac- 
cumulated over  many  years  past,  deadening  the 
footfall.  It  is  as  quiet  and  dim  there  as  the  in- 
terior of  some  great  cathedral  or  temple.  There 
is  not  a  sound  save  perhaps  the  low  sweet  sound 
of  the  mourning  dove. 

"It  is  easy  to  be  reverent  there,  alone  in  such 
a  quiet  place,  with  God.  I  go  there  every  Sun- 
day for  my  devotions,  and  often  of  an  evening  I 
slip  away  to  that  place  for  a  few  moments.  I 
wish  you  could  meet  with  me  there.  Such  trees 
as  those  from  such  a  place  ought  to  fit  well  into 
our  temple.  They  seem  to  me  to  be  already  dedi- 
cated and  made  holy.  No  wonder  the  Indian 
feels  the  presence  of  the  Great  Spirit  in  such  a 
place." 

The  letter  finished,  three  of  the  little  family 
group  broke  out  in  animated  conversation,  and 
questions,  observations,  and  conjectures  followed 
in  quick  succession.  They  tried  to  picture  the 
writer  seated  by  his  bunk,  writing  by  the  light  of 
the  pine  torch,  the  dark  primeval  forests  crowd- 
ing close  about  his  cabin.  They  visualized  the 
gaudily  decorated  Indian  visitors. 


72  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

But  there  was  one  who  was  silent.  And  pres- 
ently Mildred  inquired  timidly:  "Was  there  no 
word  at  all  for  me?" 

"Why,  no,"  replied  David,  "I  think  not.  Let 
me  look  again." 

Unfolding  again  the  wrapper  of  the  larger 
missive,  he  discovered  a  smaller  letter  directed  to 
Mildred  and  sealed  with  the  familiar  seal.  Mil- 
dred seized  this  missive  and  ran  to  her  room. 


o    3  .55 


bo 

C  " 


a  .3  2 


CQ 


Timbers  for  the  Temple  78 

Chapter  Six 

A  VISIT  FROM  KIS-K1SH-KEE 

About  forty  Indians  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  came  up  in  front  of 
the  Mansion  House,  and  four  or  five  of  them  dismounted,  among 
whom  was  Black  Hawk's  brother,  Kis-Kish-Kee.  I  was  obliged  to 
send  word  I  could  not  see  them  at  present.  They  encamped  in  the 
Council  Chamber  afternoon  and  night.  .  .  .  At  3  p.  m.,  the  Indians 
commenced  a  war  dance  in  front  of  my  old  house.  Our  people 
commenced  with  music  and  firing  cannon.  After  the  dance,  which 
lasted  about  two  hours,  the  firing  of  cannon  closed  the  exercises, 
and  with  music  we  marched  back  to  the  office. — From  Joseph 
Smith's  Diary. 

SOME  TIME  after  the  receipt  of  the  letter 
from  John  a  strange  visitor  presented  him- 
self at  the  Nobleman  home.  He  came  unan- 
nounced and  stood  in  the  doorway,  darkening  the 
room,  before  his  presence  was  observed.    It  was 
the  tall  and  powerful  old  Sac  and  Fox  Indian, 
Kis-Kish-Kee. 

As  David  came  forward  to  greet  him,  the  stern 
features  of  the  old  man  softened.  His  great  Ro- 
man nose  and  high  cheek  bones  of  the  fighting 
Indian  of  the  West  gave  him  a  look  of  distinc- 
tion and  dignity  well  supported  by  his  erect  car- 
riage and  his  general  appearance  of  intelligence. 


74  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Having  exchanged  greetings,  the  family  in- 
vited him  to  eat,  as  it  was  the  hour  for  the  eve- 
ning meal.  All  of  them  felt  a  very  lively  curios- 
ity, but  he  did  not  choose  to  enlighten  them  as  to 
the  object  of  his  visit,  and  ate  in  silence,  except- 
ing as  he  briefly  answered  casual  questions. 

They  had  not  seen  him  since  the  day  of  the 
parade,  when  he  had  so  unexpectedly  bestowed 
upon  David  the  mysterious  hunting  knife.  But 
they  respected  his  reticence  and  curbed  their 
curiosity  until  the  meal  was  finished. 

After  the  old  Indian  had  eaten  his  fill,  David 
brought  the  knife  and  showed  it  to  him.  "Where 
did  you  get  this,  Kis-Kish-Kee?"  he  asked. 

The  old  man  looked  at  it  gravely.  "Long  time 
ago  man  look  like  you  give  it  to  me,"  he  an- 
swered. 

"Tell  us  the  story,  Kis-Kish-Kee." 

The  old  man  sat  for  a  time  in  silence.  Then 
he  began: 

"Many  moons  ago,  before  the  great  Father  at 
Washington  drove  us  across  the  great  river  into 
Iowa,  we  camp  on  the  Rock  River,  in  Illinois. 
Game  scarce  and  hard  times  for  Indian.  Bimeby 
come  bad  sickness." 

He  passed  his  hand  across  his  face,  indicating 
the  pock  marks  that  marred  his  visage. 


Visit  From  Kis-Kish-Kee  75 

"I  see!"  said  William  Nobleman.  "Small- 
pox!" 

The  Indian  continued.  "Many  Indians  die. 
Many  sick.  Not  able  to  hunt.  No  bury  dead. 
No  water  for  dying.  Beat  drums.  Pray  Great 
Spirit.  Make  strong  medicine.  Pray  white  man's 
God.  No  good.  All  die  fast,  like  rabbits.  Many 
men  pass,  but  none  stop.  All  hurry  on.  No  look 
back  at  Indian  camp.  All  afraid  get  sick,  die. 
Bimeby  come  white  man  up  river  in  canoe. 

"This  man  stop.  Look  like  him,"  pointing  to- 
wards David.  "Walk  about,  look  in  lodge.  No 
scared.  Indian  tell  him  look  out.  He  just  laugh, 
like  him,"  again  indicating  David.  "He  bring 
water  from  river  for  sick  squaws  and  papoose. 
Go  in  forest,  kill  meat  for  Indian.  Make  broth. 
Roast  meat.  Grind  corn.  Bring  sugar,  salt,  from 
canoe.  Bring  medicine.  Make  very  strong 
medicine. 

"Bimeby  Indians  get  better.  All  happy — sing 
—all  dance.  All  praise  white  man.  All  love 
him.  Make  big  feast.  Make  strong  medicine. 
Praise  Great  Spirit  that  send  this  good  man  to 
Indian." 

The  old  man  dropped  his  head  a  moment,  then 
lifted  it  and  went  on  sadly.  "Then  white  man 
get  bad  sickness.  Bimeby  pretty  bad.  Very  hot. 


76  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Wild  like  crazy  horse.  All  Indians  wait  on  him. 
Bring  water,  drink  much;  bring  meat,  no  eat. 
He  get  worse.  Indian  pray,  beat  drum  all  night. 
Make  very  strong  medicine.  No  good.  Send 
runner  down  river  white  doctor.  No  good. 

"Bimeby  white  man  die.  Indian  feel  bad 
here,"  putting  his  hand  on  his  heart.  "Feel  worse, 
lose  father,  mother,  wife,  child.  White  man  think 
he  die,  give  Kis-Kish-Kee  this  knife.  Say  bimeby 
find  white  man  look  like  him.  Say  give  it  him. 
He  your  father  maybe?" 

William  Nobleman  stepped  forward,  "He  was 
my  brother,"  he  said  huskily.  "He  was  a  good 
man,  like  David.  He  was  always  kind-hearted 
and  never  afraid  of  anything." 

"He  good  man,"  assented  the  Indian.  "Meet 
many  white  men.  Drink  firewater,  kill  Indian, 
lie,  steal,  speak  with  crooked  tongue,  take  Indian 
land.  But  this  man  good  man.  Die  for  Indian. 
Indian  ready  die  for  white  man,"  and  with  a  dig- 
nified bow  towards  David,  the  old  man  indicated 
that  he  was  ready  to  die  for  kin  of  the  man  who 
had  served  him  so  long  before. 

"No,  no!"  said  David,  unconsciously  imitating 
the  Indian's  curt  style.  "You  no  die  for  us. 
That  do  us  no  good.  You  live  for  us.  Some 


Visit  From  Kis-Kish-Kee  77 

day  maybe  you  do  us  good.  Some  day  we  tell 
you  good  news  about  your  fathers." 

The  old  man  considered  the  proposition 
gravely.  He  seemed  to  be  turning  something 
over  in  his  mind.  Finally  he  inquired: 

"Older  brother  go  far  up  river,  maybe?  To 
the  land  of  the  Winnebagos?  White  man  say  so." 

How  he  had  heard  they  did  not  know.  But 
they  explained  to  him  where  John  Nobleman  had 
gone  and  the  object  of  his  trip. 

The  old  man  nodded  gravely,  "Yes,  yes.  Cut 
big  trees.  Build  big  church  on  the  hill.  You 
send  letter;  Kis-Kish-Kee  maybe  take  it.  I  go 
on  visit  to  friends  among  the  Winnebagos.  Sacs 
and  Foxes  and  Winnebagos  very  old  friends." 

The  listeners  looked  at  each  other  question- 
ingly.  Mildred  clapped  her  hands  and  cried  en- 
thusiastically. "Do  let  him  take  a  letter  to  John. 
What  fun  that  would  be.  He  shall  be  our  cour- 
ier, our  special  messenger." 

David  turned  to  Kis-Kish-Kee,  and  forgetting 
his  late  attempt  at  Indian  vernacular,  said,  "Kis- 
Kish-Kee,  your  offer  is  appreciated  very  much. 
We  will  think  the  matter  over  and  if  you  will  re- 
turn in  a  few  days  we  may  have  some  messages 
to  send." 

Pressing  some  presents  of  food  upon  the  old 


78  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

man,  they  bade  him  good-by  and  watched  him 
go  down  to  the  river  and  paddle  silently  away 
across  the  broad  expanse  of  water  towards  the 
Iowa  shore.  His  canoe  merged  into  the  shadows 
of  the  willows  on  the  far  side  of  the  stream  and 
he  was  gone  to  his  own  domain. 

But  about  a  week  later  he  called  again,  on 
Sunday,  and  the  following  day  took  his  depar- 
ture up  the  river  with  letters  to  John  Nobleman, 
also  with  many  other  missives  for  various  mem- 
bers of  the  expedition,  from  friends  and  relatives 
in  Nauvoo. 


John  Nobleman,  returning  from  his  work  in 
the  forest,  was  surprised  to  find  his  path  blocked 
by  the  tall  and  commanding  figure  of  the  old 
Indian.  He  looked  at  the  man  keenly  for  a  mo- 
ment and  then  his  face  lightened  as  he  remem- 
bered Kis-Kish-Kee.  The  Indian  shook  hands 
heartily,  and  after  John  had  fed  him  at  the  cook 
house,  condescended  to  indulge  in  speech  and 
explain  his  errand. 


Timbers  for  the  Temple  79 


Chapter  Seven 


LETTERS  TO  JOHN  NOBLEMAN 


Friday,  October  28,  1842.— This  day  the  brethren  finished  lay- 
ing the  temporary  floor  and  seats  in  the  temple,  and  its  appear- 
ance is  truly  pleasant  and  cheering. 

Sunday,  Octber  30,  18^%. — The  Saints  met  to  worship  on  a  tem- 
porary floor,  in  the  temple,  the  walls  of  which  were  about  four 
feet  high  above  the  basement;  and  notwithstanding  its  size,  it 
was  well  filled.  It  had  been  expected  that  I  would  address  them, 
but  I  sent  word  that  I  was  so  sick  that  I  could  not  meet  with 
them;  consequently  Elder  John  Taylor  delivered  a  discourse.  In 
the  evening  I  went  to  visit  the  sick. — Joseph  Smith's  Diary. 


EAGERLY  possessing  himself  of  the  prof- 
fered letters,  John  Nobleman  selected  those 
addressed  to  himself  and  put  the  others  to 
one  side  to  be  delivered  to  the  proper  persons. 
One  missive,  addressed  in  a  feminine  hand,  and 
breathing  forth  a  delicate  perfume,  he  slipped 
into  his  inner  pocket,  next  his  heart,  to  be  read 
last,  as  being  evidently  most  choice.  The  other, 
directed  in  David's  handwriting,  much  like  his 
own,  only  a  little  more  irregular  and  fantastic  in 
style,  he  opened  at  once.  His  face  lightened  with 
the  most  intense  pleasure  as  he  read: 


80  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

"Dear  John — John  the  Beloved: 

"After  your  departure  well  might  we  have 
said  with  Hamlet:  'How  weary,  stale,  flat,  and 
unprofitable  seem  all  the  uses  of  the  world.' 

"Yet  such  is  human  nature,  with  a  bright  sun 
to  warm  our  backs  and  food  to  cheer  the  stomach, 
the  quick  blood  mounts  to  our  heads  and  the  very 
animal  spirits  will  rise  within  us,  mocking  drab 
melancholy.  And  nobler  thought,  the  spirit  of 
this  work  cheers  our  hearts  so  we  may  work  in 
joy>  y°u  in  the  piney  deeps  of  Wisconsin;  I  by 
the  slopes  of  the  templed  hill. 

"Various  incidents  have  occurred  since  your 
departure ;  some  of  them  sad,  some  exciting,  some 
more  or  less  dramatic.  Our  good  Bishop  Vinson 
Knight  passed  from  this  life  July  31,  after  a 
short  illness. 

"But  most  absorbing  to  the  public  interest 
perhaps  was  the  effort  to  apprehend  the  Prophet 
Joseph  Smith  on  a  trumped-up  charge  to  the 
effect  that  he  had  instigated  an  attempt  to  assas- 
sinate ex- Governor  Boggs  of  Missouri — he  of 
the  Extermination  Order. 

"It  seems  that  this  man  Boggs  was  wounded 
by  some  miscreant  while  sitting  in  his  own  dwell- 
ing in  Independence,  Missouri.  Though  he  had 
a  host  of  political  and  dear  personal  enemies, 


Letters  to  John  81 

probably  his  treatment  of  the  Saints  weighed 
most  heavily  of  many  and  increasing  burdens 
upon  his  conscience;  so  at  once,  by  a  process  of 
reasoning  or  lack  of  reasoning  best  known  to  him- 
self, he  concluded  that  Joseph  Smith  must  have 
been  at  the  bottom  of  the  affair. 

"To  be  sure,  there  was  no  evidence  or  reason 
on  which  to  base  such  a  conclusion ;  but  that  was 
a  minor  obstacle.  The  affair  would  do  as  a  pre- 
text on  which  to  attempt  again  to  gain  possession 
of  the  person  of  the  prophet.  Accordingly  a  de- 
mand was  made  on  the  governor  of  Illinois,  Gov- 
ernor Carlin,  by  Governor  Reynolds  of  Missouri, 
for  the  extradition  of  Joseph  Smith. 

"Now  Brother  Joseph  did  not  fear  trial  in  Illi- 
nois before  any  unprejudiced  tribunal,  nor  had 
he  any  cause  to  fear  such  trial.  But  he  did  ob- 
ject to  being  taken  into  Missouri  where  he,  a 
civilian,  had  been  court  martialed  and  condemned 
to  be  shot  on  a  charge  not  sustained  by  a  particle 
of  evidence,  and  had  been  saved  only  by  the  hero- 
ism of  General  Doniphan  who  had  threatened  to 
hold  the  would-be  assassins  accountable  before  a 
higher  tribunal,  and  had  refused  to  execute  the 
order,  which  he  said  was  cold-blooded  murder. 
To  go  to  Missouri  at  the  present  time  would  be 
to  meet  almost  certain  death  at  the  hands  of  the 
TT— 6 


82  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

mobs,  or  failing  that,  death  at  the  hands  of  those 
professing  to  act  in  the  name  of  the  law. 

"So  when  an  attempt  was  made  to  arrest 
Brother  Joseph,  he  appealed  to  the  municipal 
court  for  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus.  The  officers 
refused  to  give  him  up  to  the  municipal  court, 
though  it  was  acting  under  the  charter  granted 
by  the  State,  and  withdrew  for  the  time  being; 
later,  when  they  attempted  to  make  the  arrest,  he 
was  not  to  be  found. 

"There  were  many  rumors.  Some  said  that  he 
had  gone  to  Washington,  some  that  he  had  gone 
to  Europe.  It  developed  later  that  he  was  never 
very  far  from  home.  His  contention  was  that 
the  attempted  extradition  was  illegal,  for  various 
reasons;  and  he  believed  that  he  could  only  be 
tried  for  the  alleged  offense  in  Illinois,  as  he  had 
not  been  out  of  that  State,  hence  had  committed 
his  offense,  if  at  all,  in  the  State,  and  should  be 
tried  there. 

"He  felt  it  right  to  avoid  the  issue  for  the  time 
being,  as  Paul,  who  was  let  down  over  the  wall 
in  a  basket  to  escape  his  enemies  when  the  gov- 
ernor tried  to  apprehend  him;  or  John  Wesley, 
who  fled  from  Georgia  while  under  indictment 
before  the  court,  and  returned  to  England  be- 


Letters  to  John  83 

cause  he  knew  that  the  court  was  composed  of  his 
enemies  and  that  justice  could  not  be  obtained. 

"Just  now  the  efforts  to  apprehend  him  have 
abated.  What  the  outcome  will  be  we  cannot  tell. 
But  I  will  endeavor  to  inform  you  later.  It  is 
hoped  by  the  Saints  that  the  legality  of  the  pro- 
ceedings may  be  tested  properly  before  an  Illi- 
nois court. 

"Already  there  has  been  much  excitement. 
Many  threats  have  been  made  to  bring  mobs 
against  us.  Armed  men  have  ridden  through 
the  city  on  several  occasions  and  without  warrant 
or  authority  have  searched  various  homes.  Trag- 
edy is  imminent,  and  yet  at  times  comedy  arises 
uninvited. 

"Such  a  body  of  men  found  some  boys  flying 
kites  on  the  commons  and  asked  them  the  where- 
abouts of  Brother  Joseph.  One  of  the  boys,  sus- 
pecting their  errand,  and  being  irreverent,  as 
boys  sometimes  are,  replied,  'He  has  gone  to 
heaven  on  his  horse  Charley,  and  we  are  sending 
him  his  dinner  on  this  kite.'  After  threatening 
the  boys  the  men  rode  on. 

"But  I  have  other  more  agreeable  news  for 
you.  Day  before  yesterday,  being  Friday,  Octo- 
ber 28,  the  brethren  finished  laying  the  tempo- 
rary floor  in  the  lower  part  of  the  temple,  and 


84  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

seats  were  arranged,  so  that  meetings  might  be 
held  there  instead  of  in  the  grove  as  heretofore. 
And  to-day,  being  Sunday,  October  30,  1842,  a 
memorable  day,  the  Saints  met  in  the  temple. 
The  walls  are  now  built  up  to  about  four  feet 
above  the  basement. 

"Notwithstanding  the  size  of  the  inclosure,  it 
was  well  filled.  Brother  Joseph  was  not  able  to 
be  with  us,  owing  to  illness,  consequently  Elder 
John  Taylor  delivered  the  sermon  in  his  stead. 
How  our  hearts  rejoiced  on  the  occasion  of  this 
our  first  meeting  in  the  holy  temple,  even  though 
it  is  but  begun,  and  in  its  present  embryonic, 
almost  chaotic  state,  gives  but  a  hint  of  the  maj- 
esty and  beauty  that  must  characterize  the  com- 
pleted structure,  judging  by  the  designs. 

"Yet  I  must  confess  that  for  a  time  as  I  sat 
in  the  congregation  by  Mildred's  side  my  mind 
wandered  far  away.  My  eyes  may  have  looked 
very  attentively  at  the  speaker,  and  if  he  noted 
me  at  all,  he  perhaps  thought  me  much  inter- 
ested and  edified  by  his  discourse.  If  so,  I  was 
unintentionally  hypocritical,  for  my  eyes  saw  him 
not.  Instead  I  saw  you,  John,  as  I  fancied 
you  worshiping  with  a  few  of  the  brethren  in  the 
Wisconsin  forests.  And  I  pictured  you  during 
the  week  helping  to  fell  and  hew  into  shape  those 


Letters  to  John  85 

trees  that  are  predestined  to  such  great  honor — 
that  they  shall  form  a  part  of  the  noble  structure 
called  the  temple.  And  as  we  walked  home  to- 
gether we  talked  of  you.  But  the  Athenians, 
who  according  to  Luke  did  nothing  but  either 
hear  or  tell  some  new  thing,  would  not  have  given 
ear  to  our  conversation,  for  we  had  no  new  or 
strange  theme,  we  talk  of  you  every  day. 

"Oh,  yes,  I  must  tell  you  that  yesterday  a  com- 
pany of  Saints  arrived  from  New  York  and 
Long  Island.  They  met  in  the  store  building  not 
far  from  here,  over  which  Brother  Joseph  has  his 
office,  and  addresses  were  made  by  Elders  Tay- 
lor, Woodruff,  and  others.  And  finally  Brother 
Joseph  spoke  to  them  at  some  length.  I  was 
much  interested  in  his  talk. 

"He  told  them  that  he  was  only  a  man  and 
advised  them  not  to  expect  perfection  in  him. 
This  might  seem  strange,  unless  we  reflect  that 
some  are  prone  to  make  that  mistake,  and  set 
him  on  too  high  a  pedestal.  He  evidently  wanted 
to  forestall  any  such  mistake. 

"He  told  them  that  if  they  were  to  expect  per- 
fection in  him  he  might  in  turn  demand  it  of  them 
and  both  would  be  disappointed;  but  if  they 
would  bear  with  his  infirmities  and  the  infirmi- 
ties of  the  brethren  in  a  Christlike  way,  he  would 


86  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

bear  with  their  infirmities  until  all  could  have 
time  to  correct  their  faults.  After  his  address  he 
blessed  them,  and  left,  warning  them  that  he 
might  again  find  it  necessary  to  flee  from  injus- 
tice and  oppression. 

"Brother  John,  I  wish  you  could  see  Mildred 
as  I  see  her  while  writing  this  letter.  She  has  a 
new  white  dress  made  from  goods  brought  all  the 
way  from  England  by  a  dear  old  English  sister 
who  came  in  a  recent  shipload.  She  fell  in  love 
with  Mildred  at  first  sight — very  properly  so, 
demonstrating  the  excellent  quality  of  English 
brains  and  hearts.  Well,  with  this  dress  she  is 
wearing  a  blue  apron — very  deep  blue — a  lovely 
blue — for  I  have  just  noticed  that  it  is  the  exact 
color  of  Mildred's  eyes,  as  she  sits  opposite  me 
writing  a  letter  to  you  and  asking  me  how  to  spell 
geodes — wonder  what  she  is  writing,  but  I  can 
guess.  Those  are  the  big  rocky  fellows  that  we 
find  in  the  ravines  back  of  the  city  and  break 
open  and  find  them  full  of  crystal.  They  are 
like  Brother  Pratt's  sermons:  very  hard  to  crack, 
but  full  of  fine  things." 

Having  finished  reading  David's  letter,  John 
turned  with  alacrity  to  the  one  that  he  had  laid 
aside,  the  one  directed  in  Mildred's  handwriting. 


Letters  to  John  87 

Opening  it  carefully,  as  though  performing  a  sa- 
cred rite,  he  read: 

"Dear  John:  David  is  writing  you  this  minute, 
so  I  will  write  a  few  lines  to  add  to  Kis-Kish- 
Kee's  burden.  David  will  write  of  the  church 
news,  which  is  first  with  most  everybody  here; 
but  I  will  write  of  some  of  our  doings  during  the 
summer — just  small  talk  about  David  and  my- 
self and  our  rambles. 

"You  will  remember  the  ravine  that  comes  into 
the  river  a  half  mile  or  so  below  Main  Street.  It 
runs  back  into  the  hills  and  woods  and  comes  to 
a  place  where  the  water  leaps  down  over  a  rock 
wall  from  a  great  height,  making  two  or  three 
falls  from  shelf  to  shelf.  The  fall  must  be  nearly 
fifty  feet  high.  (How  much  is  that,  I  wonder?) 
And  at  the  foot  of  the  falls  there  is  a  sort  of  am- 
phitheater, with  high  rocky  walls  and  big  trees 
and  swing  grapevines  all  around  it,  excepting  on 
the  front,  which  opens  down  the  stream  towards 
the  river. 

"We  often  go  there,  and  David  paints  while 
I  read  or  amuse  myself  in  other  ways.  And 
when  he  tires  of  painting,  he  strolls  about  with 
his  hands  in  his  pockets  and  his  head  thrown 
back,  spouting  poetry  or  singing;  or  perhaps  he 


88  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

keeps  me  laughing  with  his  pranks  and  jests. 
"I  have  named  the  place  'Prince  David's 
Chamber,'  but  David  says  it  should  be  called 
King  John's  Chamber,  and  that  when  you  re- 
turn we  will  crown  you  with  forest  flowers.  He 
has  been  reading  'As  you  like  it,'  and  has  some 
of  the  lore  of  the  Forest  of  Arden  in  his  head  at 
present.  And  'turning  his  merry  note  unto  the 
sweet  bird's  throat'  he  sings : 

"Come  hither,  come  hither,  come  hither; 
Here  shall  you  see  no  enemy 
But  winter  and  rough  weather.' 
"It  is  truly  and  truly  a  lovely  place;  so  cool 
and  deep  and  still,  excepting  for  the  tinkle  of 
water  and  the  singing  of  birds.  One  might  think 
it  a  long  way  from  civilization,  in  some  deep  and 
remote  forest,  it  is  so  secluded.  Yet  it  is  only 
the  corner  round,  the  hill  over,  the  creek  up, 
from  town,  as  Mr.  Steiner  would  say.  I  wish 
you  could  join  us  there  some  day.  I  wished  it 
on  a  four-leaved  clover  one  day;  and  yesterday 
with  a  wishbone  from  a  wild  turkey.  David  got 
the  short  piece  and  it  seems  that  he  had  the  same 
wish.  Often  we  take  a  lunch  with  us  and  as  we 
eat  we  talk  of  you  and  your  ways,  and  you 
grow  bigger  and  bigger.  Oh,  there  are  two  here 
who  long  for  your  return,  John  Nobleman. 


Letters  to  John  89 

"Don't  tell  the  pine  woods,  nor  the  wild  bear, 
nor  the  Indians,  nor  even  the  moon — every  night 
I  whisper  to  myself  the  new  name  that  you  gave 
me,  but  so  low  that  the  angels  could  scarcely 
hear,  for  it  is  mine,  now,  mine,  mine,  and  no  one 
else  has  a  right  even  to  hear  it. 

"But  I  forgot  to  tell  you  another  thing.  David 
has  begun  a  wild  flower  garden  back  of  the 
house,  beyond  the  rose  garden.  We  have  trans- 
planted hundreds  of  wild  flowers  of  every  kind, 
violets,  both  prairie  and  wood  varieties,  phlox, 
columbine,  wild  roses,  golden  rod,  asters,  and 
many  others. 

"David  says  that  there  are  no  flowers  culti- 
vated that  he  loves  so  well  as  the  wild  flowers. 
He  says  that  man  has  tended  these  domesticated 
flowers,  but  God  has  planted  and  cultivated  the 
wild  flowers,  and  that  they  know  Him  better  and 
tell  of  Him  more  plainly  than  any  others.  I  do 
not  know  about  that,  but  I  do  know  that  they 
have  a  delicate  beauty  and  charm  that  the  tame 
flowers  do  not  have.  They  are  not  so  gaudy  and 
pretentious,  but  are  more  like  Cinderella  among 
her  haughty  sisters;  they  are  the  real  beauties 
and  seem  to  have  captured  the  prince. 

"Also  we  have  transplanted,  from  the  very 
deepest  and  darkest  ravines  in  the  forest,  lovely 


90  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

feathery  ferns,  and  have  made  a  great  big  bed 
of  them  in  a  shady  place. 

"Another  thing,  we  have  found  a  good  many 
geodes — big,  round,  rough  fellows,  as  homely  as 
homely;  but  when  we  break  them  open  they  are 
hollow  and  all  lined  with  rock  crystals  that  glis- 
ten like  diamonds. 

"But  now  we  are  truly  reminded  by  the  falling 
of  the  leaves  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy, 
'winter  and  rough  weather.'  Then  will  the  river 
be  closed  and  the  roads  blockaded,  and  Nauvoo 
will  be  cut  off  unto  herself.  But  for  that  time 
at  least  she  will  be  sufficient  unto  herself.  Almost 
daily  come  new  arrivals  overland,  and  all  sum- 
mer parties  were  coming  up  the  river,  many  of 
them  from  Saint  Louis  and  beyond  there,  even 
from  England.  It  is  a  splendid  spectacle  when 
a  boatload  of  emigrants  arrives,  to  see  their  de- 
light, the  embraces,  to  hear  the  glad  songs. 

"We  can  see  the  city  grow.  Almost  we  can 
hear  it.  I  lie  awake  at  night  listening  to  the  mur- 
mur of  the  big  river  along  the  French  Rapids  be- 
low us,  and  it  seems  to  me  I  can  hear  the  city 
grow.  What  a  truly  wonderful  thing  to  see  a 
city  grow!  And  such  a  city!  To  see  the  people 
coming  together  from  the  ends  of  the  earth  to 
build  such  a  beautiful  city  in  such  a  beautiful 


Letters  to  John  91 

place.  The  very  air  is  full  of  romance  and 
poetry.  We  are  living  an  epic." 

Having  finished  the  second  letter,  John  Noble- 
man gave  his  attention  to  a  small  oval  packet 
that  had  accompanied  the  letters,  but  had  not 
been  mentioned  in  them.  Opening  it  and  re- 
moving many  wrappers  of  tissue  he  came  at  last 
to  an  oval  miniature,  done  in  oil  on  ivory.  It  was 
the  miniature.  From  it  looked  the  blue  eyes  that 
David  had  described,  and  every  feature  was  so 
lifelike  and  animated  that  the  heart  of  the  woods- 
man gave  a  leap  within  his  breast.  It  seemed  as 
if  the  girl  herself  were  actually  looking  into  his 
eyes,  and  he  smiled  in  response  to  the  smile  that 
the  miniature  portrayed. 

David  had  not  forgotten  the  parting  wish,  and 
with  characteristic  unselfishness  had  inclosed  the 
treasured  miniature. 


92  Timbers  for  the  Temple 


Chapter  Eight 

KIS-KISH-KEE   RETURNS 

Monday,  February  20,  1843. — About  seventy  of  tht  brethren 
came  together,  according  to  previous  notice,  and  hauled,  sawed, 
chopped,  split,  moved,  and  piled  up  a  large  lot  of  wood  in  my 
yard.  The  day  was  spent  by  them  with  much  pleasantry,  good 
humor  and  feeling.  A  white  oak  log,  measuring  five  feet  four 
inches  in  diameter  was  cut  through  with  a  crosscut  saw,  in  four 
and  a  half  minutes,  by  Hyrum  Dayton  and  Brother  John  Tidwell. 
This  tree  had  been  previously  cut  and  hauled  by  my  own  hand* 
and  team.  From  nine  to  eleven  this  morning,  I  was  reading  in 
German;  and  from  eleven  to  twelve  held  mayor's  court.  .  .  . 
Charles  R.  Dana  versus  William  B.  Drink. — Joseph  Smith's  Diary. 

WINTER  descended  upon  Nauvoo  early 
in  that  year  1842.   By  the  17th  of  No- 
vember the  Mississippi  was  frozen  over, 
and  on  that  date  two  men,  Alpheus  Harmon  and 
another,  lost  their  way  and  were  frozen  to  death 
on  the  prairies  between  Carthage  and  Nauvoo. 

Early  in  the  year  1843  the  matter  mentioned 
in  David  Nobleman's  letter,  that  of  the  charge 
against  Joseph  Smith  made  by  ex-Governor 
Boggs,  was  adjusted  in  a  satisfactory  manner. 

Thomas  Ford  having  been  elected  governor 
to  succeed  Carlin,  Joseph  Smith  took  the  matter 
up  with  him,  sending  seven  of  the  brethren  to 


Kis-Kish-Kee  Returns  98 

Springfield  to  represent  him.  At  their  instiga- 
tion, Governor  Ford  brought  the  case  before  six 
judges  of  the  Supreme  Court.  These  gentlemen 
were  of  the  opinion  that  the  requisition  from  Mis- 
souri was  illegal  and  the  evidence  insufficient,  but 
inclined  to  the  opinion  that  Governor  Ford  could 
not  ignore  the  action  of  his  predecessor.  Accord- 
ingly he  advised  Joseph  Smith  to  come  to  Spring- 
field at  once,  and  assured  him  a  just  trial. 

Accordingly  Joseph  Smith,  Hyrum  Smith, 
and  others  started  for  Springfield,  December  27, 
1842,  arriving  there  the  30th. 

The  case  was  heard  before  the  Circuit  Court 
of  the  United  States  for  the  district  of  Illinois, 
Judge  Pope  rendering  the  decision  January  5. 
He  held  that  the  proceedings  were  illegal,  and 
that  Joseph  Smith  could  not  be  considered  a  fu- 
gitive from  justice,  and  closed  with  the  pleasant 
words:  "Let  an  order  be  entered  that  Smith  be 
discharged  from  his  arrest." 

Accordingly  the  prophet  returned  to  Nauvoo 
a  free  man,  reaching  that  place  the  10th  day  of 
January. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  note  that  during  this 
visit  to  Springfield  many  men  of  prominence 
were  met,  including  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  and 
Justin  Butterfield,  and  on  the  first  day  of  Janu- 


94  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

ary,  it  being  Sunday,  the  company  of  Saints  held 
preaching  service  in  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives on  invitation  of  the  secretary.  At  the  hour 
of  11  a.  m.  they  sang,  "The  Spirit  of  God  like  a 
fire  is  burning,"  and  Elder  Hyde  preached  from 
Malachi  3;  and  in  the  evening  Elder  Taylor 
preached  from  Revelation  14:  6,  7.  Most  of  the 
members  of  the  legislature  were  present,  as  well 
as  many  of  the  heads  of  departments. 

On  a  day  in  midwinter,  to  be  explicit,  Feb- 
ruary 20,  1843,  it  being  Monday,  David  Noble- 
man came  tramping  into  the  home  about  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  He  was  greeted  by 
Mildred  and  his  grandfather,  but  going  directly 
to  the  aged  grandmother,  who  sat  with  hands 
folded  in  her  lap,  her  sightless  eyes  closed,  the 
pathetic  attitude  of  the  blind,  he  kissed  her  fore- 
head and  stroked  her  white  hair. 

"Beautiful  hair,  grandmother;  there  is  none 
like  it,"  he  said.  "It  is  like  the  snows  of  winter, 
so  clean  and  white — while  Mildred's  is  like  the 
golden  sunlight  in  June — we  have  December  and 
June  under  one  roof." 

The  grandmother  lifted  her  trembling  and  al- 
most transparent  hand  and  touched  his  cheek, 
"Dear  David,"  she  murmured,  "where  have  you 
been  all  the  day?" 


Kis-Kish-Kee  Returns  95 

"Well,  you  see,"  he  said,  as  he  hung  over  her 
chair  back  and  continued  to  stroke  her  hair,  "I 
have  been  down  to  Brother  Joseph's  place.  This 
has  been  a  great  day.  About  seventy  of  the 
brethren  came  in  on  him  and  brought  several 
loads  of  wood.  And  all  of  us  worked  like  beavers 
chopping,  sawing,  and  piling  wood  in  his  yard. 

"But  we  didn't  work  all  the  time.  We  had  no 
end  of  fun — jokes  and  stories,  and  at  times  a 
serious  spell  when  we  would  sing  hymns  to  the 
tune  of  the  saws,  and  at  the  end  a  short  season 
of  prayer.  There  were  many  tests  of  strength 
and  speed.  Hyrum  Dayton  and  John  Tidwell 
carried  off  the  honors.  If  some  of  those  people 
who  say  that  Brother  Joseph  and  his  followers 
are  lazy  had  been  there  to-day  we  would  have 
made  them  sweat  to  keep  up  with  us  at  work." 

"The  idea,"  cried  Mildred.  "How  can  they 
continue  to  call  the  Saints  lazy  and  ignorant 
when  we  are  all  working  so  hard  here,  as  we  did 
in  Missouri  and  Ohio,  turning  the  wilderness  into 
a  garden  and  building  cities  and  making  farms— 
and  when  we  build  schools  the  first  thing  wher- 
ever we  go.  Why,  the  University  of  Nauvoo 
was  one  of  the  first  things  provided  for  in  the 
charter  of  Nauvoo." 

"Never  mind,  little  granddaughter,"  replied 


96  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

William  Nobleman;  "Jesus  says  that  we  are 
blessed  when  men  say  evil  things  against  us 
falsely.  Do  not  worry  when  evil  stories  are  false, 
but  only  when  they  have  some  measure  of  color- 
ing of  truth." 

But  their  conversation  was  interrupted.  The 
door  swung  open  without  warning,  and  on  the 
threshold,  darkening  all  the  doorway,  stood  the 
old  Indian,  Kis-Kish-Kee,  returned  from  the 
pine  forests.  Upon  the  floor  he  threw  a  burden 
that  he  had  carried  across  his  shoulders.  When 
they  examined  it  they  found  it  to  consist  of  three 
fat  wild  turkeys  and  a  quarter  of  venison. 

Having  grunted  his  laconic  greeting,  Kis- 
Kish-Kee  indicated  that  he  was  both  tired  and 
hungry.  The  family  quieted  its  hubbub  of  greet- 
ing, so  strikingly  in  contrast  to  the  Indian's  stoi- 
cal bearing,  for  in  no  way  did  he  indicate  that  he 
had  not  just  returned  from  a  moment's  errand, 
and  Mildred  said,  "I  must  make  a  feast  for  all 
in  honor  of  Kis-Kish-Kee's  return." 

So  she  flew  about  getting  the  evening  meal, 
while  David  replenished  the  fire  and  set  the  table. 
She  cut  big  slices  of  the  red  venison  and  put  them 
to  broil,  the  savory  odor  soon  filling  the  room; 
and  prepared  numerous  vegetable  dishes,  beat- 
ing up  a  cake  as  a  special  dainty. 


Kis-Kish-Kee  Returns  97 

Kis-Kish-Kee  sat  down  in  the  traditional  atti- 
tude of  the  hunter  returned  from  the  chase  and 
waiting  for  the  squaws  to  prepare  food.  He 
sat  with  knees  far  apart,  hands  hanging  across 
them,  relaxed,  and  head  drooping  heavily  for- 
ward, the  natural  posture  of  weariness  and  wait- 
ing. They  respected  this  attitude,  which  forbade 
questions,  as  it  had  always  done  in  the  wigwam, 
until  strength  should  be  stimulated  and  restored 
by  warm  food. 

When  at  last  the  meal  was  ready  he  sat  at  the 
table  with  them,  solemnly  waiting  while  the 
granddaughter  returned  thanks,  and  then  he  fell 
to  and  ate  prodigiously.  They  could  well  im- 
agine that  he  had  come  a  long  and  hard  way  and 
probably  had  not  eaten  that  day.  They  enjoyed 
the  juicy  venison,  but  their  chief  interest  was  in 
marveling  at  the  amount  of  food  one  human 
being  could  safely  consume. 

The  meal  finished,  he  nodded  gravely  at  Da- 
vid, and  indicating  Mildred,  said,  "Your  squaw 
good  cook.  Make  very  fine  meal."  A  moment 
later  he  added,  apparently  with  serious  inten- 
tion to  give  warning,  "You  watch  when  big 
brother  come  back  from  pine  forest.  You  keep 
urn  squaw.  Yes?" 

David  laughed  and  Mildred  blushed,  looking 

TT— 6 


98  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

first  pleased  at  the  praise  and  then  vexed  at  the 
warning.  She  left  the  room  hastily,  but  returned 
again  in  a  moment,  when  Kis-Kish-Kee,  at  last 
quite  ready  to  deliver  his  messages,  handed  David 
a  packet  wrapped  in  buckskin.  These  were  let- 
ters from  John  Nobleman — including  a  sealed 
missive  for  Mildred  that  others  did  not  read. 

Eagerly  David  read  his  letter  to  the  family. 
All  listened  most  attentively.  They  learned  that 
John  was  well,  and  working  hard  with  the  other 
men  to  get  lumber  and  logs  ready  for  the  spring 
drive.  The  letter  was  filled  with  notes  on  camp 
life  and  was  very  interesting. 

When  it  was  finished  Kis-Kish-Kee  told  them 
briefly  of  his  trip.  He  had  come  down  the  river 
and  through  the  forests  by  old  trails  known  to 
Indians,  but  quite  impossible  for  white  men  to 
follow  at  that  season.  He  was  weary  and  they 
retired  early,  putting  the  Indian  to  bed  in  a 
choice  bed  with  a  feather  tick  and  plenty  of  quilts. 
But  they  learned  in  the  morning  that  he  had 
rolled  himself  up  in  a  blanket  and  slept  on  the 
floor. 

They  induced  him  to  remain  for  a  turkey  din- 
ner, as  Mildred  took  a  girlish  delight  in  cooking 
to  win  the  praise  of  this  stern  and  copper-colored 
old  warrior.  She  fancied  her  skill  pitted  against 


Kis-Kish-Kee  Returns  99 

that  of  Indian  maidens  who  might  have  minis- 
tered to  his  needs  during  a  long  and  eventful 
life,  a  life  of  hunting  and  fighting,  of  love  and 
hate,  of  trails  and  forests  and  plains,  of  feasting 
and  famine,  of  dancing  and  mourning.  His 
grave  nod  of  approval  over  the  dishes  that  she 
coaxed  him  to  taste  was  her  reward.  The  old 
man  had  clearly  taken  a  great  fancy  to  the  girl 
and  was  much  concerned  that  David's  claims 
should  not  be  in  any  way  jeopardized.  David 
he  seemed  fairly  to  worship,  and  the  family  had 
not  a  doubt  that  for  him  the  old  Indian  would 
freely  keep  his  word  and  lay  down  his  life. 

The  meal  finished,  the  three,  the  old  Indian, 
the  boy,  and  the  girl,  went  for  a  walk  to  David's 
Lookout.  The  day  was  bright  and  sunshiny. 
Below  them  lay  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  with 
its  white  winter  plains  and  its  somber  masses  of 
forests,  and  the  great  silver  stream  under  its 
coating  of  ice  sweeping  in  a  vast  circle  about  the 
slopes  that  rose  from  the  river  to  their  feet  and 
sweeping  back  of  them  to  other  heights  formed 
the  hill — city  and  temple  crowned. 

The  scene  was  no  less  beautiful  than  in  sum- 
mer, and  even  more  awe-inspiring.  The  statu- 
esque Indian  seemed  to  drink  in  of  the  spirit  of 
it.  A  great  sadness  was  in  his  countenance.  And 


100  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

finally  he  spoke.  With  a  sweeping  gesture  he  in- 
dicated the  vast  panorama  of  forest  and  plain  be- 
fore him  and  said,  "Long  time  ago  my  people 
were  everywhere  in  the  forest  and  on  the  prairies. 
Now  they  are  scattered  and  gone.  When  I  shout 
in  the  forest  my  voice  comes  hack  to  me.  There 
is  none  to  answer  me  in  my  language. 

"My  people  have  all  gone  to  the  west — to- 
wards the  setting  sun.  But  the  graves  of  my 
fathers  are  behind  me  towards  the  east.  Their 
bones  are  in  the  valley.  Must  we  all  go  on  and 
leave  them  to  be  turned  up  by  the  white  man's 
plow?  Long  have  we  fought,  but  now  we  can 
fight  no  more.  Our  bows  are  all  broken.  Our 
arms  are  all  weak. 

"Many  times  have  the  white  men  promised  us 
land  and  written  it  in  a  book,  but  always  when 
we  build  our  wigwams,  a  little  later  they  tell  us 
to  move  on.  There  is  no  longer  any  place  for 
the  Indian.  The  spirits  of  our  dead  weep  for  us. 
Their  tears  come  down  in  the  raindrops  and  we 
hear  their  weeping  voices  in  the  storm  winds. 
The  big  houses  of  the  white  men  frighten  them. 
They  hunt  for  the  old  wigwams  and  cannot  find 
them." 

The  Indian  fell  silent,  apparently  feeling  that 
words  could  not  express  or  explain  his  feelings  to 


Kis-Kish-Kee  Returns  101 

an  alien  breast.  But  David  was  all  sympathy. 
Putting  his  hand  on  Kis-Kish-Kee's  arm  he  said, 
"Listen,  oh,  chief,  for  I  have  news  for  you.  I 
would  tell  you  of  a  book  that  contains  the  record 
of  your  people  and  that  has  wonderful  promises 
for  the  future.  You  will  not  always  be  driven 
and  hunted,  for  the  promises  in  the  book  are  that 
some  day  the  hearts  of  the  white  man  shall  be 
turned  towards  you.  They  will  care  for  your 
children.  They  will  build  great  schools  and  edu- 
cate them.  They  will  give  them  farms.  Your 
children  and  grandchildren  will  learn  many 
things.  They  will  put  away  the  bow  and  arrow 
and  cease  to  fight  one  another.  They  will  till  the 
soil  and  live  in  fine  homes  and  be  as  white  men 
are;  and  they  will  obey  the  gospel  and  help  to 
build  up  Zion." 

Thus  standing  in  this  strange  pulpit,  with  the 
vast  valley  before  him  filled  with  the  old-time 
haunts  of  the  Indians,  David  preached  to  his  sole 
Indian  auditor  a  stirring  sermon  on  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  that  wonderful  record  of  God's  deal- 
ings with  the  prehistoric  peoples  of  America,  the 
Lamanites. 

The  old  Indian  seemed  much  impressed  and 
promised  to  hear  further  of  the  matter  and  carry 
the  news  to  his  fellows  of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes. 


. 

102  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Of  the  book  he  said,  "The  Indian  has  been  afraid 
of  books.  He  does  not  write  in  books.  White 
man  writes  in  books,  and  then  we  find  ourselves 
bound.  We  have  given  away  our  lands  and  did 
not  know  it.  It  is  down  in  a  book,  we  are  told. 
The  Great  Spirit  talks  to  us  in  the  thunder,  not 
in  books.  But  this  must  be  a  good  book.  It  tells 
of  good  things.  If  you  say  it  is  true  it  is  true.  I 
know  you  do  not  lie.  You  are  like  the  man  who 
died  for  Indian." 

They  returned  to  the  home  and  after  they  had 
given  Kis-Kish-Kee  a  number  of  presents,  he 
took  his  departure.  They  watched  him  until  he 
had  crossed  the  river  and  disappeared  in  the  for- 
ests on  the  Iowa  side. 


Timbers  for  the  Temple  103 

Chapter  Nine 

DAVID  MEETS  THE  METHODIST  PREACHER 

At  length  the  city  burst  upon  my  sight,  and  how  sadly  was  I 
disappointed.  Instead  of  seeing  a  few  miserable  log  cabins  and 
mud  hovels  which  I  had  expected  to  find,  I  was  surprised  to  see 
one  of  the  most  romantic  places  that  I  had  visited  in  the  west. 
The  buildings,  though  many  of  them  were  small  and  of  wood,  yet 
bore  the  marks  of  neatness  which  I  have  not  seen  equaled  in  this 
country.  The  far-spread  plain  at  the  bottom,  of  the  hill  was 
dotted  over  with  the  habitations  of  men  with  such  majestic  pro- 
fusion, that  I  was  almost  willing  to  believe  myself  mistaken;  and 
instead  of  being  in  Nauvoo  of  Illinois,  among  Mormons,  that  I 
was  in  Italy  at  the  city  of  Leghorn  (which  the  location  of  Nau- 
voo resembles  very  much).  .  .  . 

I  passed  on  into  the  more  active  parts  of  the  city,  looking  into 
every  street  and  lane  to  observe  all  that  was  passing.  I  found  all 
the  people  engaged  in  some  useful  and  healthy  employment.  The 
place  was  alive  with  business — much  more  so  than  any  place  I 
have  visited  since  the  hard  times  commenced.  I  sought  in  vain 
for  anything  that  bore  the  marks  of  immorality;  but  was  both 
astonished  and  highly  pleased  at  my  ill  success.  I  could  see  no 
loungers  about  the  streets,  nor  any  drunkards  about  the  taverns. 
I  did  not  meet  with  those  distorted  features  of  ruffians,  or  with 
the  ill-bred  or  impudent.  I  heard  not  an  oath  in  the  place,  I  saw 
not  a  gloomy  countenance;  all  were  cheerful,  polite,  and  indus- 
trious.— Reverend  Samuel  A.  Prior,  Times  and  Seasons,  No.  13, 
vol.  4. 

DAVID   and   Mildred  were   watching  the 
men  at  work  on  the  temple.   The  cold 
spring   wind    competed    with   the   warm 
spring  sunshine  and  made  their  blood  tingle  and 
dance.    From  high  over  the  river  came  the  clear 
notes  of  wild  fowl  northward  bound.     Robins 


104  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

sang  for  the  laborers  in  Zion,  and  the  trees  be- 
gan to  put  forth  their  first  fresh,  green  leaves 
for  the  delectation  of  the  young  artist  and  his 
foster  sister. 

They  climbed  up  the  staging  and  stood  on 
the  top  of  the  stone  wall  of  the  temple,  looking 
about  them.  Many  things  attracted  their  atten- 
tion, but  in  time  it  became  riveted  upon  a  man, 
evidently  a  stranger,  and  as  they  judged,  a  very 
interested  spectator  of  the  work  being  done. 

He  was  a  man  of  medium  height,  with  a  dig- 
nified appearance,  well  dressed,  and  rather  portly 
and  florid.  He  wore  side  whiskers  and  spec- 
tacles. They  noticed  that  his  eyes  were  slightly 
crossed,  giving  him  the  baffling  expression  usual 
in  such  cases.  They  thought  at  times  that  he 
was  looking  directly  at  them,  but  again  con- 
cluded that  they  were  mistaken. 

He  carried  a  cane,  and  his  peculiar  use  of  this 
instrument,  or  implement,  or  adornment,  fur- 
nished them  some  amusement.  He  would  stand 
perfectly  still  for  a  while,  looking  intently  at  the 
work  going  on.  Then  he  would  walk  rapidly 
back  and  forth  for  a  block,  or  even  completely 
around  the  temple  inclosure. 

As  he  walked  he  grasped  his  cane  by  the  crook 
and  whirled  it  around  and  around.  Apparently 


David  Meets  a  Preacher  105 

he  was  wrapped  in  deep  thought,  and  the  harder 
he  thought  the  faster  he  whirled  the  cane  and  the 
faster  he  walked. 

David  contended  that  the  cane  must  serve  as 
an  accelerator  of  mental  processes,  but  Mildred 
affirmed  that  it  might  be  merely  an  indicator,  or 
that  it  might  serve  as  a  safety  device  to  relieve 
undue  mental  pressure.  At  last  the  man  halted 
directly  in  front  of  them  and  they  imagined  that 
he  was  looking  at  them.  But  the  peculiar  cross 
in  his  eyes  baffled  them,  even  when  he  began  to 
beckon  to  them. 

But  as  no  one  else  seemed  to  recognize  ,the  sig- 
nal, they  concluded  that  it  must  be  for  them. 
So  down  they  went  to  see  what  might  be  wanted. 
The  stranger  excused  himself,  much  with  the  air 
of  one  who  is  accustomed  to  have  his  wishes  con- 
sidered deferentially,  yet  who  scrupulously  ob- 
serves the  rules  of  etiquette  as  a  matter  of  prin- 
ciple. 

"My  name  is  Prior,"  he  announced,  pausing 
to  give  his  cane  a  whirl,  then  hanging  it  on  his 
arm.  "I  am  a  Methodist  minister.  This  is  my 
first  visit  to  this  wonderful  city  of  Nauvoo,  con- 
cerning which  I  have  heard  so  many  strange  and 
conflicting  stories,  some  of  them  dark  and  lugu- 
brious, some  of  them  actually  iridescent  with 


106       „       Timbers  for  the  Temple 

praise  and  glorification.  Needless  to  say,  I  am 
much,  very  much  interested  in  what  I  see.  Yet 
I  need  an  interpreter,  a  guide.  You  may  be  able 
to  answer  some  of  my  questions,  young  man,  if 
you  will  be  so  good." 

David  smiled,  and  having  assured  his  visitor 
that  he  would  gladly  accommodate  him,  intro- 
duced himself  and  Mildred,  "Nobleman?  Noble- 
man?" mused  the  Reverend  Prior,  looking  at  one 
of  them,  or  both,  they  could  not  be  sure.  "Well, 
it  is  a  good  name.  I  have  met  a  few  noble  men 
in  my  life,  but  I  was  cautioned  that  I  should  not 
expect  to  meet  them  in  Nauvoo.  Young  man, 
do  you  know  what  the  world  thinks  of  you  and 
your  people?" 

David  lifted  his  hat  and  tossed  his  hair  back 
with  a  characteristic  gesture,  and  smiled  his  en- 
gaging smile  as  he  answered,  "Jesus  said,  'If  ye 
were  of  the  world,  the  world  would  love  its  own ; 
but  because  ye  are  not  of  the  world,  but  I  have 
chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the  world 
hateth  you.  If  the  world  hate  you,  ye  know  that 
it  hated  me  before  it  hated  you/  ' 

The  deep-set,  baffling  eyes  of  the  stranger 
twinkled  appreciatively.  He  took  a  quick  turn 
down  the  walk  a  dozen  paces,  whirling  his  cane 
vigorously,  and  then  returned.  "Well  met, 


David  Meets  a  Preacher     .         107 

young  man.  If  your  people  meet  every  situation 
with  so  apt  a  scripture  they  will  be  invincible.  I 
had  been  told  that  you  reject  the  Bible,  and  here 
I  am  hit  on  the  head  with  a  text  the  first  time 
I  open  my  mouth  in  Nauvoo." 

David  laughed.  "No,  no;  don't  say  that  I 
struck  you  on  the  head  with  a  text,"  he  said. 
"But  we  are  told  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  is  the 
sword  of  the  Spirit.  We  must  use  it  in  self- 
defense  at  times." 

"Young  man,  that  being  true,  you  seem  rather 
keen  for  sword  practice,"  retorted  the  other. 
"Have  a  pass  at  this,  then.  The  day  of  temple 
building  is  done.  That  ended  with  the  Mosaic 
economy.  You  people  appear  to  be  retrogres- 


sive." 


David  smiled  again  and  said,  "At  the  risk  of 
being  accused  of  assaulting  you  with  the  Bible  a 
second  time,  I  quote  Malachi:  'Behold,  I  will 
send  my  messenger,  and  he  shall  prepare  the  way 
before  me:  and  the  Lord  whom  ye  seek,  shall 
suddenly  come  to  his  temple,  even  the  messenger 
of  the  covenant,  whom  ye  delight  in:  behold,  he 
shall  come,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts/ 

"You  see  the  Lord  is  to  come  to  his  temple 
after  his  messenger  has  prepared  his  way  before 
him.  How  come  to  a  temple  if  all  temples  have 


108  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

fallen  to  ruin  and  there  are  to  be  no  more 
builded?" 

The  eyes  of  the  stranger  twinkled  again.  "Did 
he  say  his  name  was  David?"  he  asked  of  Mil- 
dred. 

"Yes,"  she  answered  demurely;  "David  Noble- 
man." 

"Well,  he  must  think  I  am  Goliath,  and  he  is 
determined  to  kill  me  out  of  hand  with  scriptural 
pebbles. 

"Your  defense  is  ready,  apparently,  young 
man,  but  are  you  sure  that  your  scripture  is 
properly  applied.  Did  not  that  text  refer  to  his 
first  coming?" 

"I  think  not,"  replied  David.  "I  will  give  you 
the  next  three  verses:  'But  who  may  abide  the 
day  of  his  coming?  and  who  shall  stand  when  he 
appeareth?  for  he  is  like  a  refiner's  fire,  and  like 
fuller's  soap;  and  he  shall  sit  as  a  refiner  and 
purifier  of  silver :  and  he  shall  purify  the  sons  of 
Levi,  and  purge  them  as  gold  and  silver,  that 
they  may  offer  unto  the  Lord  an  offering  in 
righteousness.  Then  shall  the  offering  of  Judah 
and  Jerusalem  be  pleasant  unto  the  Lord,  as  in 
the  days  of  old,  and  as  in  former  years.' 

"All  men  could  abide  the  day  of  his  first  coin- 
ing. He  did  not  at  that  time  purify  the  sons  of 


David  Meets  a  Preacher  109 

Levi,  and  they  have  never  from  that  day  to  this 
offered  an  acceptable  offering,  so  far  as  the  Le- 
vitical  priesthood  among  the  Jews  is  concerned. 
No;  it  refers  to  his  second  coming;  to  the  great 
and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord  that  few  can  abide." 

"Do  you  expect  the  Lord  to  come  to  this  tem- 
ple?" 

"No;  perhaps  not  to  this  one.  But  to  a  tem- 
ple of  his  appointing  he  will  surely  come.  The 
church,  being  a  spiritual  temple  ('Ye  are  the  tem- 
ple/ Paul  said,)  may  very  properly,  at  God's 
command,  house  itself  in  a  material  temple,  as 
every  spiritual  body  seeks  a  physical  expression." 

The  eyes  of  the  stranger  twinkled  again,  and 
he  gave  his  expressive  cane  another  whirl.  "Are 
you  metaphysicians  as  well  as  theologians?"  he 
inquired.  "That  was  not  so  bad.  A  physical 
body  for  the  spiritual  body ;  a  physical  temple  for 
the  spiritual  temple,  the  material  temple  but  a 
physical  expression  of  the  spiritual  temple.  Yes ; 
that  is  rather  good.  Come  now,  tell  me,  honestly, 
do  you  think  these  things  up  by  yourself,  or  have 
you  all  been  instructed  what  to  do  and  what  to 
say  to  every  stranger  within  the  gates?" 

David  looked  at  him  keenly  and  answered, 
"Did  they  teach  you  how  to  swing  your  cane  at 
Oxford?" 


110  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

The  other  laughed  outright.  "Well  said,  young 
man,"  he  applauded.  "I  see  you  have  not  been 
stuffed.  You  are  an  original  one.  Well,  I  have 
not  been  stuffed  either,  and  I  think  for  myself, 
and  swing  my  own  cane  in  my  own  way,  as  I  see 
you  do,  too.  But  how  did  you  pick  me  for  an 
Oxford  man?" 

"Just  a  venture,"  admitted  David.  "But  come, 
now,  let  us  show  you  around  the  city  a  bit.  Bear 
in  mind  as  we  go  that  the  city  is  only  about  four 
years  old,  so  do  not  expect  perfection,  nor  the 
polish  of  centuries.  Some  things  must  appear 
crude  and  unfinished  to  your  Eastern  eyes." 

The  three  spent  the  afternoon  going  from 
point  to  point  about  the  city,  on  the  hill,  on  the 
flat,  along  the  river  front.  The  two  young  peo- 
ple took  a  decided  liking  to  the  reverend  guest. 
He  seemed  different  from  the  usual  denomina- 
tional minister.  They  could  discover  little  preju- 
dice in  his  mind.  They  saw  that  he  was  rather 
eccentric,  yet  very  intelligent  and  original.  They 
liked  his  quizzical  ways,  and  relished  his  occa- 
sional references  to  foreign  travel  and  matters 
of  interest  in  the  intellectual  world. 

When  they  parted  that  night  it  was  only  after 
having  secured  from  him  a  promise  that  he  would 
call  upon  them  the  next  day  at  their  home.  In- 


David  Meets  a  Preacher  111 

deed,  he  seemed  delighted  to  give  the  promise, 
for  he  assured  them  that  he  desired  to  cross-ques- 
tion David  further  on  matters  of  church  history. 

They  watched  him  as  he  walked  away  up  the 
hill,  swinging  his  cane  violently,  and  occasionally 
making  a  pass  at  some  imaginary  object.  The 
two  young  people  laughed  merrily,  and  joining 
hands  ran  home  to  tell  about  their  new  friend,  to 
whom  they  had  taken  a  great  liking. 

The  following  afternoon  they  were  seated  on 
the  veranda  at  the  hour  appointed  for  his  visit. 
Presently  they  saw  him  come  down  the  street. 
He  was  walking  rapidly  and  swinging  his  cane 
over  and  over.  He  seemed  absorbed  in  deep 
thought  and  passed  by  the  gate  without  stopping. 
He  looked  at  the  two  on  the  veranda,  or  at  least 
they  imagined  that  he  did,  but  there  was  no  rec- 
ognition in  his  eyes,  but  rather  a  preoccupied, 
dreamy  look,  as  of  one  wholly  absorbed  in  his 
reflections. 

"He  didn't  see  us,"  cried  Mildred.  "He  is 
going  right  on  down  the  street." 

David  ran  after  the  reverend  gentleman,  call- 
ing, "Oh,  Doctor  Prior;  where  were  you  going 
in  such  a  hurry?" 

Their  visitor  halted  abruptly  and  wheeled 
about.  His  cane  ceased  its  gyrations,  and  on 


112  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

his  face  appeared  the  dawn  of  returning  percep- 
tion, quickly  followed  by  a  whimsical  look  of 
apology.  He  came  back  up  the  walk,  laughing 
as  he  did  so. 

"I  was  lost  in  a  fog,"  he  said.  "Fortunately 
you  halted  me  or  I  do  not  know  where  I  would 
have  brought  up — perhaps  in  the  river.  You 
have  discovered  one  of  my  weaknesses.  I  sup- 
pose that  I  may  have  walked  a  thousand  miles, 
all  told,  retracing  my  steps  to  points  that  I  had 
started  to  visit  and  had  passed  in  a  mental  haze." 

"Perhaps  it  is  the  cane,"  suggested  David. 

"Perhaps  so,"  replied  the  visitor.  "There  is 
some  connection  between  that  cane  and  my  men- 
tal works,  though  I  cannot  figure  out  what  it  is. 
But  I  am  getting  so  I  cannot  think  freely  with- 
out it,  at  least  not  in  the  open,  and  I  prefer  the 
open.  When  I  get  out  on  the  street  and  go  along 
swinging  that  cane  my  parishioners  say,  "There 
goes  Reverend  Prior  flailing  out  another  ser- 


mon.' 


"David  had  no  occasion  to  poke  fun  at  you  for 
being  absent-minded,"  consoled  Mildred.  "I 
have  seen  him  do  all  sorts  of  funny  things.  One 
day  grandfather  sent  him  out  to  get  a  basket  of 
potatoes,  and  what  should  Sir  David  do  but  hang 
the  basket  on  the  well  curb  and  draw  a  bucket  of 


David  Meets  a  Preacher  113 

water  and  pour  it  into  the  basket.  He  only  came 
to  himself  when  the  water  ran  out  and  wet  his 
feet." 

The  Reverend  Prior  lifted  his  hat  and  with 
pleasant  courtliness  bowed  low,  while  he  grasped 
David's  hand.  "I  am  delighted,"  he  said,  "to 
meet  a  fellow  sufferer  in  affliction,  and  to  learn 
that  though  your  head  may  be  off  duty  at  times, 
your  feet  still  remain  alert  to  the  situation.  I 
have  sometimes  wished  that  I  too  had  a  few 
brains  in  my  heels." 

Turning  to  Mildred  he  grasped  her  hand  and 
added,  "And  I  am  glad  to  meet  so  fair  a  cham- 
pion. If  I  had  you  with  me  at  times  to  plead  my 
cause  with  my  flock  when  I  make  some  absent- 
minded  blunder,  it  would  be  well  with  me." 

He  greeted  the  aged  grandfather  and  grand- 
mother genially  and  with  deference,  but  refused 
to  be  seated  in  the  house.  "Not  on  a  day  like 
this,"  he  insisted.  "Let  us  all  sit  instead  upon 
the  veranda,  where  we  can  look  out  over  the  river, 
with  which  I  am  in  love,  while  the  young  man 
tells  me  about  the  history  of  your  strange  church 
movement." 

So  presently  they  were  seated  upon  the  ve- 
randa, where  they  could  look  out  over  the  wide 
river,  glorious  in  the  spring  sunshine. 

TT— 7 


114  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

While  the  visitor  listened  intently,  David  be- 
gan: "You  must  understand,  first  of  all,  Doctor 
Prior,  that  our  viewpoint  is  totally  different  from 
that  of  any  other  church." 

"So  I  imagine;  so  I  imagine,"  assented  the  vis- 
itor; "and  it  is  your  viewpoint  I  am  after." 

"We  believe,"  went  on  David,  "that  God  is 
unchangeable ;  and  further,  we  accept  the  logical 
conclusions  based  on  such  belief.  No  miracle, 
revelation,  or  divine  manifestation  or  interven- 
tion that  really  occurred  in  the  past  would  seem 
to  us  improbable,  absurd,  or  out  of  order  to-day 
if  occasion  called  for  it.  It  is  still  to  us  a  day  of 
revelation  and  miracle,  a  day  of  prophets  and 
angelic  visitations. 

"Moreover  we  differ  from  nearly  all  Protest- 
ant churches  in  that  we  believe  in  restoration  in- 
stead of  reformation.  We  reason  in  this  way: 
That  if  there  has  been  no  complete  apostasy  dur- 
ing the  long  Dark  Ages,  by  which  divine  truth, 
the  organic  form  of  the  church,  and  authority  to 
act  in  gospel  ordinances  was  lost,  then  all  those 
things  have  come  down  through  the  Catholic 
Church.  If  that  were  true,  the  Catholic  claim  of 
apostolic  succession  is  correct  and  we  should  all 
be  Catholics. 

"But  if  there  was  such  a  complete  apostasy, 


David  Meets  a  Preacher  115 

and  we  hold  that  both  history  and  scripture  prove 
that  there  was,  then  it  became  necessary  for  a 
restoration  under  divine  direction  and  revelation. 
We  believe,  moreover,  that  the  Bible  indicates  in 
many  places  that  in  the  last  day  there  should  be 
such  a  restoration,  prior  to  the  second  coming  of 
Christ. 

"Such  a  work  of  restoration  has  actually  taken 
place  under  angelic  administration.  The  ancient 
primitive  Jerusalem  gospel  has  been  restored; 
the  priesthood,  or  authority  to  act  in  the  name  of 
God,  has  been  restored ;  also  the  old-time  organic 
form  of  church,  and  the  gifts  and  blessings  of  the 
gospel. 

"In  order  that  you  may  understand  the  steps 
that  lead  up  to  that  restoration  I  wish  to  read  to 
you  Joseph  Smith's  own  account  of  the  early 
events  of  church  history  as  he  sets  them  forth  in 
our  church  paper,  the  Times  and  Seasons/' 

Picking  up  a  bound  volume  of  the  Times  and 
Seasons  for  the  preceding  year,  the  young  man 
turned  to  a  place  that  he  had  marked,  and  read: 

"  'Sometime  in  the  second  year  after  our  re- 
moval to  Manchester,  there  was  in  the  place 
where  we  lived  an  unusual  excitement  on  the  sub- 
ject of  religion.  It  commenced  with  the  Method- 
ists, but  soon  became  general  among  all  the 


116  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

sects  in  that  region  of  country;  indeed  the  whole 
district  of  country  seemed  affected  by  it,  and 
great  multitudes  united  themselves  to  the  dif- 
ferent religious  parties,  which  created  no  small 
stir  and  division  amongst  the  people,  some  cry- 
ing, "Lo,  here,"  and  some,  "Lo,  there."  ...  A 
scene  of  great  confusion  and  bad  feeling  ensued, 
priest  contending  against  priest,  and  convert 
against  convert,  so  that  all  the  good  feelings,  one 
for  another,  if  they  ever  had  any,  were  entirely 
lost  in  a  strife  of  words,  and  a  contest  about 
opinions. 

1  'I  was  at  this  time  in  my  fifteenth  year.  My 
father's  family  was  proselyted  to  the  Presby- 
terian faith,  and  four  of  them  joined  that  church; 
namely,  my  mother  Lucy,  my  brothers  Hyrum 
and  Samuel  Harrison,  and  my  sister  Sophronia. 

"  'During  this  time  of  great  excitement  my 
mind  was  called  up  to  serious  reflection  and 
great  uneasiness;  but  though  my  feelings  were 
deep  and  often  pungent,  still  I  kept  myself  aloof 
from  all  those  parties,  though  I  attended  their 
several  meetings  as  often  as  occasion  would  per- 
mit; but  in  process  of  time  my  mind  became 
somewhat  partial  to  the  Methodist  sect,  and  I 
felt  some  desire  to  be  united  with  them,  but  so 
great  was  the  confusion  and  strife  among  the 


David  Meets  a  Preacher  117 

different  denominations  that  it  was  impossible 
for  a  person  young  as  I  was  and  so  unacquainted 
with  men  and  things  to  come  to  any  certain  con- 
clusion who  was  right,  and  who  was  wrong.  My 
mind  at  different  times  was  greatly  excited,  the 
cry  and  tumult  was  so  great  and  incessant.  .  .  . 
'While  I  was  laboring  under  the  extreme 
difficulties  caused  by  the  contests  of  these  parties 
of  religionists,  I  was  one  day  reading  the  epistle 
of  James,  first  chapter  and  fifth  verse,  which 
reads:  "If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask 
of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men  liberally,  and  up- 
braideth  not;  and  it  shall  be  given  him."  Never 
did  any  passage  of  scripture  come  with  more 
power  to  the  heart  of  man  than  this  did  at  the 
time,  to  mine.  It  seemed  to  enter  with  great 
force  into  every  feeling  of  my  heart.  I  reflected 
on  it  again  and  again,  knowing  that  if  any  per- 
son needed  wisdom  from  God  I  did,  for  how  to 
act  I  did  not  know,  and  unless  I  could  get  more 
wisdom  than  I  then  had  would  never  know;  for 
the  teachers  of  religion  of  the  different  sects  un- 
derstood the  same  passage  so  differently  as  to 
destroy  all  confidence  in  settling  the  question  by 
an  appeal  to  the  Bible.  At  length  I  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  I  must  either  remain  in  darkness 
and  confusion,  or  else  I  must  do  as  James  directs ; 


118  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

that  is,  "ask  of  God,"  concluding  that  if  he  gave 
wisdom  to  them  that  lacked  wisdom  and  would 
give  liberally,  and  not  upbraid,  I  might  venture. 
So  in  accordance  with  this  my  determination  to 
ask  of  God,  I  retired  to  the  woods  to  make  the 
attempt.  It  was  on  the  morning  of  a  beautiful 
clear  day,  early  in  the  spring  of  eighteen  hun- 
dred and  twenty.  It  was  the  first  time  in  my 
life  that  I  had  made  such  an  attempt,  for  amidst 
all  my  anxieties  I  had  never  as  yet  made  the  at- 
tempt to  pray  vocally. 

"  'After  I  had  retired  into  the  place  where  I 
had  previously  designed  to  go,  having  looked 
around  me  and  finding  myself  alone,  I  kneeled 
down  and  began  to  offer  up  the  desires  of  my 
heart  to  God.  I  had  scarcely  done  so  when  im- 
mediately I  was  seized  upon  by  some  power 
which  entirely  overcame  me,  and  had  such  aston- 
ishing influence  over  me  as  to  bind  my  tongue 
so  that  I  could  not  speak.  Thick  darkness  gath- 
ered around  me,  and  it  seemed  to  me  for  a  time 
as  if  I  were  doomed  to  sudden  destruction.  But 
exerting  all  my  powers  to  call  upon  God  to  de- 
liver me  out  of  the  power  of  this  enemy  which 
had  seized  upon  me,  and  at  the  very  moment 
when  I  was  ready  to  sink  in  despair  and  abandon 
myself  to  destruction,  (not  to  an  imaginary  ruin, 


David  Meets  a  Preacher  119 

but  to  the  power  of  some  actual  being  from  an 
unseen  world  who  had  such  a  marvelous  power 
as  I  had  never  before  felt  in  my  being,)  just  at 
this  moment  of  great  alarm,  I  saw  a  pillar  of 
light  exactly  over  my  head,  above  the  brightness 
of  the  sun ;  which  descended  gradually  until  it  fell 
upon  me.  It  no  sooner  appeared  than  I  found 
myself  delivered  from  the  enemy  which  held  me 
bound.  When  the  light  rested  upon  me  I  saw  two 
personages  (whose  brightness  and  glory  defy  all 
description)  standing  above  me  in  the  air.  One 
of  them  spake  unto  me,  calling  me  by  name,  and 
said  (pointing  to  the  other) ,  "This  is  my  beloved 
Son,  hear  him." 

"  'My  object  in  going  to  inquire  of  the  Lord 
was  to  know  which  of  all  the  sects  was  right,  that 
I  might  know  which  to  join.  No  sooner  there- 
fore did  I  get  possession  of  myself,  so  as  to  be 
able  to  speak,  than  I  asked  the  personages  who 
stood  above  me  in  the  light,  which  of  all  the  sects 
was  right,  (for  at  this  time  it  had  never  entered 
into  my  heart  that  all  were  wrong,)  and  which 
I  should  join.  I  was  answered  that  I  must  join 
none  of  them,  for  they  were  all  wrong,  and  the 
personage  who  addressed  me  said  that  all  their 
creeds  were  an  abomination  in  his  sight;  that 
those  professors  were  all  corrupt;  "they  draw 


120  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

near  to  me  with  their  lips,  but  their  hearts  are 
far  from  me;  they  teach  for  doctrine  the  com- 
mandments of  men,  having  a  form  of  godliness, 
but  they  deny  the  power  thereof."  He  again  for- 
bade me  to  join  with  any  of  them:  and  many 
other  things  did  he  say  unto  me  which  I  cannot 
write  at  this  time.  When  I  came  to  myself  again 
I  found  myself  lying  on  my  back,  looking  up  into 
heaven. 

"  'Some  few  days  after  I  had  this  vision  I  hap- 
pened to  be  in  company  with  one  of  the  Method- 
ist preachers  who  was  very  active  in  the  before- 
mentioned  religious  excitement,  and  conversing 
with  him  on  the  subject  of  religion  I  took  occa- 
sion to  give  him  an  account  of  the  vision  which 
I  had  had.  I  was  greatly  surprised  at  his  be- 
havior, he  treated  my  communication  not  only 
lightly,  but  with  great  contempt,  saying  it  was 
all  of  the  Devil;  that  there  were  no  such  things 
as  visions  or  revelations  in  these  days;  that  all 
such  things  had  ceased  with  the  apostles,  and 
that  there  never  would  be  any  more  of  them.  I 
soon  found,  however,  that  my  telling  the  story 
had  excited  a  great  deal  of  prejudice  against  me 
among  professors  of  religion,  and  was  the  cause 
of  great  persecution,  which  continued  to  increase ; 
and  though  I  was  an  obscure  boy  only  between 


David  Meets  a  Preacher  121 

fourteen  and  fifteen  years  of  age,  and  my  cir- 
cumstances in  life  such  as  to  make  a  boy  of  no 
consequence  in  the  world,  yet  men  of  high  stand- 
ing would  take  notice  sufficient  to  excite  the  pub- 
lic mind  against  me,  and  create  a  hot  persecution. 
.  .  .  However,  it  was  nevertheless  a  fact  that  I 
had  a  vision.  I  have  thought  since  that  I  felt 
much  like  Paul  when  he  made  his  defense  before 
King  Agrippa  and  related  the  account  of  the 
vision  he  had  when  he  "saw  a  light  and  heard  a 
voice,"  but  still  there  were  but  few  who  believed 
him;  some  said  he  was  dishonest,  others  said  he 
was  mad;  and  he  was  ridiculed  and  reviled;  but 
all  this  did  not  destroy  the  reality  of  his  vision. 
He  had  seen  a  vision,  he  knew  he  had,  and  all 
the  persecution  under  heaven  could  not  make  it 
otherwise ;  and  though  they  should  persecute  him 
unto  death,  yet  he  knew  and  would  know  unto 
his  latest  breath,  that  he  had  both  seen  a  light  and 
heard  a  voice  speaking  to  him,  and  all  the  world 
could  not  make  him  think  or  believe  otherwise. 
So  it  was  with  me.  I  had  actually  seen  a  light, 
and  in  the  midst  of  that  light  I  saw  two  person- 
ages, and  they  did  in  reality  speak  unto  me,  or 
one  of  them  did,  and  though  I  was  hated  and 
persecuted  for  saying  that  I  had  seen  a  vision, 
yet  it  was  true.'  " 


122  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

When  he  had  finished  reading,  David  threw 
the  book  aside  and  said,  "Well,  there  you  have 
an  account  of  the  first  or  initial  revelation  in  the 
work  of  restoration.  We  might  discuss  that  be- 
fore we  consider  others." 

The  Reverend  Prior  had  been  sitting  listening 
intently.  Now  he  aroused  himself,  and  looked  at 
David  with  his  baffling  crossed  eyes,  in  which 
there  lurked  the  characteristic  twinkle,  as  he  said, 
dryly,  "Well,  I  notice  that  it  was  a  Methodist 
preacher  who  first  started  the  argument  by  brand- 
ing the  revelation  as  from  the  Devil." 

David  laughed.  "True,"  he  replied;  "but  that 
need  cause  no  hard  feelings;  it  might  have  been 
a  preacher  from  any  other  denomination.  All 
would  have  given  the  same  answer,  for  all  held 
that  divine  revelation  had  ceased,  though 
strangely  enough  they  seemed  to  think  that  the 
Devil  was  still  active  while  God  had  become 
quiescent." 

They  were  silent  a  moment;  then  he  added, 
"Don't  you  think  a  mistake  was  made  in  brand- 
ing it  as  from  the  Devil  on  the  ground  that  no 
revelation  could  be  received  from  God?  Would 
it  not  have  been  better  to  have  examined  it  on 
its  merits,  admitting  that  it  might  be  from  God?" 

"Perhaps  so,"  admitted  the  visitor,  "but  then 


David  Meets  a  Preacher  128 

you  must  concede  that  it  was  a  very  strange  claim 
to  make  to  a  world  that  had  long  resigned  itself 
to  the  idea  that  there  was  to  be  no  more  revela- 
tion." 

"Yes;  but  was  it  more  strange  than  when  the 
angel  spoke  to  the  father  of  John  the  Baptist 
after  the  four  hundred  years  of  silence  following 
Malachi?  Was  it  more  strange  than  Paul's  ex- 
perience on  the  road  to  Damascus?  You  remem- 
ber that  even  the  Christians  declined  to  believe 
his  claims  at  first,  and  when  he  told  it  to  the 
Romans  they  said  that  he  was  mad." 

The  listener  shook  his  head.  "Perhaps  no  more 
strange,"  he  said.  "All  revelation  is  strange. 
Truth  is  stranger  than  fiction,  it  is  said.  We  can- 
not reject  a  thing  merely  because  it  seems 
strange.  But  how  about  that  declaration  that  all 
the  professors  were  corrupt?  Does  that  discredit 
every  Christian  believer,  my  pious  mother  in- 
cluded, who  was  a  good  Presbyterian  and  a  great 
reader  of  the  Bible?" 

"No,  no,"  cried  David.  "It  could  not  be  held 
to  refer  to  all  individual  Christian  believers,  many 
of  whom  were  most  excellent  and  pious  people. 
It  referred  to  the  professional  clergy,  those  who 
teach  for  doctrine  the  precepts  of  men,  and  draw 
near  to  God  with  their  lips  only.  It  might  even 


124  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

be  held  strictly  to  refer  to  those  professional 
clergymen  who  had  gotten  up  the  revival  in 
question  and  who  later  betrayed  their  own  hy- 
pocrisy." 

"Well,  then,"  persisted  the  visitor,  "there  is 
that  reference  to  the  creeds  as  being  wrong ;  some 
of  them  even  abominable.  How  do  you  justify 
that?" 

David  stepped  into  the  library  a  moment  and 
returned  with  a  volume.  "Let  me  read  from  the 
Calvinistic  Statement  of  Faith  as  set  forth  in 
the  Westminster  Confession,"  he  said: 

"  'III.  By  the  Decree  of  God  for  the  manifes- 
tation of  his  Glory,  some  Men  and  Angels  are 
predestinated  unto  everlasting  Life,  and  others 
fore-ordained  to  everlasting  Death. 

"  'IV.  These  Angels  and  Men  thus  predesti- 
nated, and  fore-ordained,  are  particularly  and 
unchangeably  designed,  and  their  number  is  so 
certain  and  definite,  that  it  cannot  be  either  in- 
creased or  diminished. 

'V.  Those  of  Mankinde  that  are  predesti- 
nated unto  Life,  God,  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world  was  laid,  according  to  his  eternal  and 
immutable  purpose,  and  the  secret  counsel  and 
good  pleasure  of  his  Will,  hath  chosen  in  Christ 
unto  everlasting  Glory,  out  of  his  meer  free 


David  Meets  a  Preacher  125 

Grace  and  Love,  without  any  fore-sight  of  Faith 
or  good  Works,  or  perseverance  in  either  of  them 
or  any  other  thing  in  the  Creature,  as  Conditions 
or  Causes  moving  him  thereunto,  and  all  to  the 
praise  of  his  glorious  Grace. 

"  'VI.'  As  God  hath  appointed  the  Elect  unto 
Glory,  so  hath  he  by  the  eternal  and  most  free 
purpose  of  his  Will  fore-ordained  all  the  means 
thereunto:  Wherefore  they  who  are  elected,  be- 
ing fain  in  Adam,  are  redeemed  by  Christ,  are 
effectually  called  unto  Faith  in  Christ  by  his 
spirit  working  in  due  season,  are  justified, 
adopted,  sanctified,  and  kept  by  his  power, 
through  Faith,  unto  salvation.  Neither  are  any 
other  redeemed  by  Christ,  or  effectually  called, 
justified,  adopted,  sanctified  and  saved,  but  the 
Elect  only. 

"  'VII.  The  rest  of  mankind  God  was  pleased, 
according  to  the  unsearchable  Counsel  of  his  own 
Will,  whereby  he  extendeth  or  withholdeth 
mercy,  as  he  pleaseth,  for  the  glory  of  his  sov- 
ereign power  over  his  creatures,  to  pass  by  and 
to  ordain  them  to  dishonor  and  wrath  for  their 
sin,  to  the  praise  of  his  glorious  Justice/ 

"These  men  and  angels  who  are  eternally 
damned,"  commented  the  reader,  "are  not 


126  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

damned  because  God  foresaw  that  they  would  do 
wrong;  nor  are  others  saved  because  he  foresaw 
they  would  do  right,  because  the  creed  says  that 
it  was  all  arranged  regardless  of  such  considera- 
tions. It  was  all  arbitrary,  resting  on  the  whim 
of  divinity,  and  for  his  glory.  Could  you  con- 
scientiously consider  that  as  anything  but  abom- 
inable in  the  sight  of  God,  who  we  are  assured 
would  have  all  men  repent  and  be  saved?" 

The  visitor  shook  his  head,  and  answered  dryly, 
"On  that  point  I  will  not  quarrel  with  the  reve- 
lation. But  think  how  much  comfort  men  used 
to  get  out  of  that  creed.  Every  pious  old  soul 
imagined  that  he  was  of  the  elect,  to  be  saved, 
and  he  took  no  end  of  pleasure  thinking  about 
what  his  neighbors  were  to  get  later." 

He  thought  for  a  moment,  and  then  added, 
"But  that  does  not  brand  all  creeds  as  wrong. 
Take  my  own  church,  for  instance.  I  am  minded 
to  challenge  you  to  point  out  a  single  error  in  it 
touching  vital  things." 

David  smiled,  "I  would  not  like  to  become  per- 
sonal and  make  an  attack  upon  your  church.  We 
do  not  war  against  churches,  but  against  error. 
We  are  friends,  so  far ;  let  us  not  become  involved 
in  disagreeable  matters." 

"Tut!  Tut!"  chided  the  listener.   "Don't  spoil 


David  Meets  a  Preacher  127 

a  good  story  for  relation's  sake.  If  there  is  an 
error  in  my  creed,  drag  it  out  and  let  me  see  it." 
Again  David  visited  the  library  and  returned 
with  a  smaller  book.  "Since  you  insist,"  he  said, 
"I  will  read  from  your  Discipline:  'Whereof 
is  one  Christ,  the  very  God  and  very  man,  who 
truly  suffered,  was  crucified,  dead  and  buried,  to 
reconcile  his  Father  to  us,  and  to  be  a  sacrifice, 
not  only  for  original  guilt,  but  also  for  the  actual 
sins  of  men.' 

"Now,"  he  added,  "compare  that  with  2  Corin- 
thians 5: 18-20:  'And  all  things  are  of  God,  who 
hath  reconciled  us  to  himself  by  Jesus  Christ, 
and  hath  given  to  us  the  ministry  of  reconcilia- 
tion; to  wit,  that  God  was  in  Christ,  reconciling 
the  world  unto  himself;  not  imputing  their  tres- 
passes unto  them;  and  hath  committed  unto  us 
the  word  of  reconciliation.  Now  then  we  are  am- 
bassadors for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech 
you  by  us;  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be  ye 
reconciled  to  God' 

"That  surely  is  a  vital  point.  Jesus  did  not 
come  to  reconcile  a  vicious  and  angry  God  who 
had  to  be  bribed  by  the  sight  of  the  sufferings  of 
his  Son.  God  was  always  a  loving  father,  and 
had  not  gone  astray.  Jesus  came  to  reconcile 


128  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

man  to  God,  not  God  to  man,  for  it  was  man  who 
had  gone  astray." 

The  Reverend  Prior  removed  his  spectacles, 
and  wiped  them  carefully  with  his  spotlessly 
white  kerchief,  then  replaced  them.  Behind  their 
protecting  sheen  his  twinkling  eyes  studied 
David. 

"Well?"  he  said,  questioningly. 

"Well?"  echoed  David.  "What  do  you  think 
of  it?" 

He  shook  his  head,  mockingly.  "Being  a 
Methodist  minister,  I  will  not  express  an  opin- 
ion," hd  said  dryly,  "But  if  I  were  not  a  Meth- 
odist minister  I  would  say  that  this  is  an  aston- 
ishing case  of  getting  the  cart  before  the  horse. 
I  will  issue  no  more  challenges  to  a  David." 

Turning  to  Mildred,  he  continued,  "I  did  not 
come  expecting  to  have  my  own  creeds  dissected 
and  my  idols  rudely  disturbed.  Send  this  young 
inquisitor  after  a  bucket  of  water,  that  he  may 
wet  his  feet  and  thus  cool  his  head,  while  we  ad- 
mire the  river  view." 

All  joined  in  the  laugh  that  followed,  but 
David  insisted,  "I  hope  you  will  not  miss  an  im- 
portant point:  The  personage  who  spoke  to 
Joseph  Smith  called  his  attention  to  Jesus 
Christ,  and  said,  'This  is  my  beloved  Son,  hear 


"THE  TRYSTING  PLACE" 

A  sylvan  scene  near  Nauvoo,  overlooking 
the  Mississippi  River 


Kis-Kish-Kee  Returns  129 

him/  That  was  the  keynote  of  the  revelation. 
It  was  a  call  back  to  Jesus  and  his  teachings. 
Men  had  listened  too  long  to  the  precepts  and 
doctrines  of  learned  men.  The  keynote  of  our 
work  is  a  return  to  the  teachings  of  Jesus." 

After  they  had  talked  a  little  longer  it  was 
arranged  that  the  visitor  should  return  again  and 
hear  further  about  the  early  history  of  the  church. 
Bidding  them  all  good-by,  he  took  his  departure. 
They  saw  him  walking  down  the  street,  his  cane 
over  his  arm.  But  presently  he  grasped  it  by 
the  crook  and  it  began  to  revolve  swiftly  as  he 
walked.  The  watchers  laughed,  for  they  knew 
that  he  was  thinking  seriously. 


TT— 8 


180  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Chapter  Ten 

MORE  LETTERS  TO  JOHN  NOBLEMAN 

April  6,  1843. — The  first  day  of  the  fourteenth  year  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints.  Sun  shone  clear, 
warm  and  pleasant.  The  snow  has  nearly  all  disappeared.  .  .  . 
The  ice  is  about  two  feet  thick  on  the  Mississippi,  west  of  the 
temple.  A  considerable  number  of  the  brethren  crossed  from  the 
Iowa  side  of  the  river  to  the  conference,  on  the  ice.  The  walls  of 
the  temple  are  from  four  to  twelve  feet  above  the  floor. 

April  7. — The  ice,  which  had  made  a  bridge  across  the  river  since 
last  November,  moved  away  in  immense  masses. 

April  12. — The  steamer  "Amaranth"  appeared  in  sight  of  the 
temple,  coming  up  the  river,  and  about  noon  landed  her  passen- 
gers at  the  wharf  opposite  the  old  post  office  building,  consisting 
of  about  two  hundred  and  forty  Saints  from  England.  About  5 
p.  m.  the  steamer  "Maid  of  Iowa"  hauled  up  at  the  Nauvoo  House 
landing,  and  disembarked  about  two  hundred  Saints.  These  had 
been  detained  at  Saint  Louis,  Alton,  Chester,  etc.,  through  the 
winter,  having  left  Liverpool  last  fall.  Dan  Jones,  captain  of  the 
"Maid  of  Iowa,"  was  baptized  a  few  weeks  since;  he  has  been 
eleven  days  coming  from  Saint  Louis,  being  detained  by  the  ice. 

May  12. — At  sunrise,  Bishop  George  Miller  arrived  with  a  raft 
of  50,000  feet  of  pine  lumber  for  the  Temple  and  Nauvoo  House, 
from  the  pinery  on  Black  River,  Wisconsin. — From,  Joseph  Smith's 
Diary. 

ONE  of  the  first  boats  up  the  river  in  the 
spring  carried  new  letters  to  John  Noble- 
man, to  be  taken  as  far  as  Prairie  Du 
Chien  and  thence  forward  up  the  Black  River. 
The  first  of  these  was  from  David  and  bore  the 
date  of  April  13,  1843: 


More  Letters  to  John  181 

"Dear  John;  Now  is  the  'winter  of  our  dis- 
content' come  to  an  end.  And  truly  we  have 
great  reasons  to  rejoice.  By  the  way,  as  you 
may  have  observed,  Miller's  day  of  judgment, 
April  3,  when  he  was  to  have  the  world  come  to 
an  end,  passed  over  and  nothing  at  all  happened 
—except  that  those  poor  mortals  who  had  given 
their  property  all  away  and  stood  around  on  hill- 
tops waiting  for  the  end  to  come,  went  sadly 
home,  doffed  their  ascension  robes,  donned  work- 
ing clothes,  and  went  sorrowfully  to  work — we 
trust.  How  foolish,  when  Jesus  says  that  not 
even  the  angels  know  the  hour  nor  the  day  of  his 
coming.  But  these  rush  in  where  angels  fear  to 
tread,  and  endeavor  to  fix  the  very  time.  It  is 
our  business  to  watch  and  pray  and  be  ready  at 
all  hours ;  and  I  think  that  any  dress  that  covers 
an  honest  man  or  a  virtuous  woman  is  a  good 
enough  ascension  robe. 

"You  will  want  to  know  about  the  conference. 
Well,  the  first  day  of  the  fourteenth  year  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints, 
April  6,  dawned  on  schedule  time,  clear  and 
warm.  The  snow  had  disappeared,  excepting  on 
the  northern  hill  slopes.  But  there  were  still  two 
feet  of  hard  ice  on  the  river,  and  a  great  number 
of  the  brethren  came  across  from  Montrose  on 


132  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

the  ice  to  attend  the  annual  conference,  which 
according  to  our  regular  custom  began  that  day. 

"The  conference  met  on  the  floor  of  the  temple. 
The  walls  are  now  up  from  four  to  twelve  feet 
above  the  temporary  floor.  President  Joseph 
Smith,  who  is  mayor,  was  detained  for  a  time 
on  account  of  a  case  that  was  on  trial,  Thompson 
versus  Dixon,  but  came  in  with  Elders  Rigdon 
and  Hyde  at  ten  minutes  before  twelve,  and  al- 
most immediately  addressed  the  meeting.  He 
asked  the  conference  to  express  itself  regarding 
sustaining  the  First  Presidency.  A  motion  was 
presented  sustaining  him  as  president  and  an- 
other person  put  it  to  vote.  It  looked  like  a  sea 
of  hands  raised  in  support  of  the  motion.  Sidney 
Rigdon  was  sustained  as  counselor  in  the  Presi- 
dency, also  William  Law. 

"At  twelve  minutes  before  two  the  conference 
adjourned  for  one  hour.  At  three  o'clock  it  re- 
assembled and  Brother  Hyrum  Smith,  presiding 
patriarch,  addressed  the  people.  He  said  that 
there  exists  a  band  of  dishonest  men  who  steal 
and  make  counterfeit  money,  and  by  pretending 
to  be  members  of  the  church  throw  suspicion  on 
us.  Thus  they  escape  punishment.  He  restated 
the  position  of  the  church  on  matters  of  such 
kind,  reading  the  law  from  the  church  books.  We 


More  Letters  to  John  183 

are  constantly  made  to  suffer  for  the  sins  of  such 
men  in  this  wild  frontier  country.  Every  crime 
that  is  committed  for  a  hundred  miles  around  is 
laid  at  our  door. 

"Conference  met  again  the  seventh,  at  ten 
o'clock,  and  again  at  half  past  two.  Brother 
Joseph  remarked  to  Elder  Rigdon,  while  the 
choir  sang  so  beautifully,  that  it  was  truly  a  day 
of  millennium  within  the  temple  walls — all  was 
so  peaceful,  so  holy,  so  solemn. 

"On  the  seventh  we  witnessed  a  sublime  spec- 
tacle. The  ice  which  has  formed  a  heavy  cover- 
ing of  the  river  ever  since  the  seventeenth  day  of 
last  November  broke  up  and  went  out.  The 
breaking  up  of  the  ice  is  certainly  terrific  and 
awe-inspiring.  It  went  crashing  and  grinding 
and  roaring  down  the  river  in  great  jagged 
masses.  Nearly  all  night  we  could  hear  the  sound 
of  it,  like  heavy  cannonading.  Grandmother  was 
much  disturbed,  fearing  another  mob,  and  could 
not  sleep.  As  for  Mildred  and  me — we  did  not 
care  to  sleep,  but  for  hours  walked  up  and  down 
the  bank,  watching  the  strange  scene  under  the 
moonlight.  We  even  went  up  to  the  point  that 
she  has  christened  David's  Lookout,  where  we 
could  overlook  the  whole  valley  and  the  river  for 
miles.  The  old  river  is  wonderful  in  its  every 


134  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

mood,  but  most  wonderful  to  me  it  seemed  that 
night. 

"Even  the  next  day  when  conference  assem- 
bled we  could  look  from  the  stand  in  the  temple 
and  see  masses  of  ice  floating  down  stream.  A 
strong  west  wind  was  blowing  and  interfered 
with  the  poorly  protected  assembly  room,  roaring 
in  upon  us  around  the  unfinished  walls,  so  much 
so  that  at  the  afternoon  session  we  were  obliged 
to  make  a  stand  at  the  east  end  of  the  temple 
walls,  where  Elder  Taylor  addressed  us,  and 
Orson  Hyde  followed,  reporting  that  he  had  re- 
turned from  his  mission  to  Jerusalem,  having 
traveled  in  four  quarters  of  the  globe  and  visited 
peoples  speaking  fourteen  or  fifteen  different 
languages. 

"The  General  Conference  closed  on  Sunday, 
the  9th,  and  an  elders'  conference  ensued.  Yes- 
terday, before  the  elders'  conference  had  closed, 
all  were  much  interested  and  excited  when  from 
the  temple  we  espied  the  steamer  Amaranth  com- 
ing up  the  river.  She  landed  about  noon  at  the 
wharf  opposite  the  old  post  office  building  and 
discharged  her  cargo  of  about  two  hundred  and 
fifty  Saints  who  had  sailed  for  Zion  from  Liver- 
pool last  January. 

"Brother  Joseph  and    a    great  company    of 


More  Letters  to  John  135 

Saints  were  there  to  greet  them  and  clasp  their 
hands.  Needless  to  say,  Mildred  and  I  were 
there  also.  Oh,  what  a  scene  it  was!  Some  of 
them  laughed  and  some  of  them  wept,  so  great 
was  their  joy  to  have  completed  their  long  and 
hard  journey  and  to  meet  their  brothers  and 
sisters  in  this  strange  land.  Most  eager  were 
they  to  greet  Brother  Joseph,  whose  hand  was 
shaken  until  his  arm  must  be  sore  to-day. 

"To  add  to  our  rejoicing,  the  steamer  Maid 
of  Iowa  hauled  up  at  the  Nauvoo  House  land- 
ing at  five  o'clock  in  the  evening  and  discharged 
about  two  hundred  more  passengers  who  had 
left  Liverpool  last  fall  and  were  detained  at 
Saint  Louis  and  other  points  during  the  winter. 
They  had  been  eleven  days  coming  from  Saint 
Louis,  on  account  of  the  ice. 

"We  learned  with  joy  that  the  captain  of  the 
boat,  Dan  Jones,  as  we  call  him,  familiarly,  had 
been  baptized  a  few  weeks  earlier.  Among  those 
who  landed  were  Sister  Mary  Ann  Pratt,  wife 
of  Parley  P.  Pratt,  with  her  little  daughter,  only 
four  days  old. 

"To-day  at  ten  o'clock  all  these  emigrants  and 
a  great  multitude  of  others  met  at  the  temple. 
The  choir  sang  a  lovely  hymn  and  Brother 
Joseph  addressed  us  all,  giving  us  much  good 


186  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

advice,  especially  useful   to  the   newly   arrived 
Saints." 


There  was  also  a  short  letter  from  Mildred,  in 
which  she  said: 

"David,  as  usual,  is  writing  the  news.  All 
that  I  can  write  is  personal  chatter.  Things 
are  moving  on  about  as  usual  in  Nauvoo.  All 
is  growth  and  activity.  Missionaries  are  push- 
ing out  into  all  parts  of  the  country  and  to  for- 
eign fields  and  we  see  the  harvest  gathering  in 
almost  daily.  Particularly  is  this  true  of  Great 
Britain — constantly  emigrants  are  arriving  from 
that  field. 

"Grandmother  and  grandfather  are  both  fairly 
well,  but  they  show  evidences  of  age  and  the  hard- 
ships they  have  endured.  I  sometimes  fear  that 
they  will  not  be  with  us  long.  Grandmother 
prays  daily  that  they  may  go  together.  Each 
of  them  has  a  dread  of  being  left  alone.  They 
have  been  such  inseparable  companions.  It  is 
pathetic  to  see  the  tender  solicitude  with  which 
grandfather  waits  upon  her,  making  his  eyes 
serve  both  and  reporting  everything  to  her.  He 
tries  to  make  her  see  the  river,  the  valley,  the 
temple,  the  incoming  ships,  the  new  leaves  of 
spring,  all  the  wonderful  things  about  us. 


More  Letters  to  John  187 

"David  is  the  same  David.  That  is  all  I  can 
say.  There  is  none  like  him,  as  you  know. 

"He  says  such  quaint  things.  They  sound 
purely  fanciful,  yet  often  there  is  a  strain  of 
philosophy  under  them,  if  you  get  his  meaning. 
A  few  nights  ago  a  spring  shower  came  dashing 
in  over  the  river.  He  went  out  and  stood  with 
his  hair  tossed  back  from  his  forehead,  in  the 
way  you  remember,  with  the  first  big  drops  fall- 
ing around  him. 

"Seeing  me,  he  called,  'Come  out,  little  sister, 
and  get  some  holy  water/ 

"I  answered,  'Holy  water?  That's  what  the 
Catholic  priest  sprinkles  on  people,  isn't  it?' 

"But  he  said,  'No,  that  is  not  holy  water;  this 
is  the  only  really  holy  water.  Earth  has  dis- 
tilled it,  and  God  has  caught  it  up  to  heaven 
and  blessed  it,  and  now  sends  it  down  to  purify 
the  world.' 

"Yesterday  we  were  transplanting  flowers  for 
our  wild  flower  garden.  We  had  tramped  the 
woods  and  hills  all  day  and  were  working  in  the 
garden  with  our  treasures,  when  grandfather 
came  out  to  join  us.  He  is  very  methodical  and 
exact,  and  he  said,  'Children,  why  don't  you  plant 
these  flowers  in  orderly  rows?' 

"David  was   planting   them  in  groups   and 


138  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

clumps  here  and  there  as  fancy  seemed  to  direct. 
He  replied,  'God  doesn't  plant  his  flowers  in 
rows.  These  are  flowers  of  God's  planting.  It 
may  be  all  right  to  plant  verbenas  and  hollyhocks 
in  rows,  but  if  I  should  plant  these  in  rows  they 
might  become  suspicious  of  me,  or  perhaps  fade 
away  and  die.  It  would  be  as  bad  as  to  put  an 
Indian  maiden  fresh  from  the  forests  into  stays 
and  high-heeled  shoes.' ' 


A  lumber  raft  came  slipping  ghostlike  through 
the  early  morning  river  fog  on  the  morning  of 
May  12.  It  swung  in  towards  Nauvoo  at  about 
sunrise,  but  it  was  some  hours  before  it  could  be 
landed  and  tied  securely.  This  raft  contained 
fifty  thousand  feet  of  lumber  for  the  temple  and 
Nauvoo  House,  and  was  in  charge  of  Bishop 
George  Miller. 

So  soon  as  he  could  well  do  so,  John  Noble- 
man quitted  his  work  on  the  raft  and  hastened 
homeward.  Evidently  the  family  had  not  dis- 
covered the  arrival  of  the  raft  and  company  from 
the  pineries.  It  pleased  him  mightily  to  be  able 
thus  to  surprise  them. 

He  strode  up  the  front  walk  with  the  easy 
swing  that  characterized  him  and  pushed  the 


More  Letters  to  John  139 

front  door  open  softly.  William  Nobleman  was 
sitting  at  his  wife's  side,  reading  to  her.  He 
looked  up  in  surprise,  but  with  a  gesture  John 
suggested  silence,  and  stepping  quietly  behind 
the  chair  of  the  aged  grandmother  he  took  her 
faded  cheeks  between  his  two  big  hands  and  said, 
"Who  comes  here,  grandmother?" 

Without  moving,  she  replied  in  the  high,  qua- 
vering voice  of  the  aged.  "Is  it  David?  No;  it 
can't  be  David.  The  hands  are  too  big  for 
David.  Can  it  be  John?  Is  it  you,  John?" 

"Yes,  grandmother,"  he  answered,  as  he  kissed 
her  forehead.  "It  is  I,  back  from  the  pine  forests 
for  a  little  while.  Smell  the  resin.  My  system 
is  full  of  it.  I  have  cut  pine  trees  and  slept  on 
pine  needles  and  chewed  pine  gum  and  breathed 
pine-scented  air  until  I  am  half  pine." 

His  ban  of  silence  lifted,  he  greeted  his  grand- 
father warmly  and  inquired  for  David  and  Mil- 
dred. He  learned  that  they  had  gone  to  the 
woods  at  sunrise  for  wild  flowers  for  their  garden. 

Confident  that  he  knew  where  to  find  them,  he 
strode  down  the  river  to  the  familiar  ravine  and 
thence  took  his  way  back  into  the  forest.  He  left 
the  ravine,  now  grown  deep  and  precipitous,  and 
taking  his  way  by  a  circuitous  route,  through  the 


140  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

trees  and  up  steep  slopes,  he  approached  the  falls 
from  above. 

There  he  gained  a  vantage  ground,  and  cau- 
tiously making  his  way  to  the  brink  of  the  upper 
falls,  he  reached  "a  point  where  he  could  thrust 
aside  swinging  grapevines  and  look  directly  down 
into  the  amphitheater  that  Mildred  had  named 
Prince  David's  Chamber.  There  at  the  foot  of 
the  falls  on  a  little  slope  of  green,  so  close  that 
the  spray  from  the  cataract  reached  them  at  in- 
tervals, kneeled  the  objects  of  his  search,  David 
and  Mildred,  their  heads  close  together,  intent 
upon  a  basket  of  wild  flowers  that  they  had  dug 
from  the  forest  and  were  now  arranging  for  the 
home  garden. 

The  visitor  from  the  north  stood  looking  at 
them  very  intently.  Something  of  the  keen  joy 
of  anticipation  faded  from  his  face.  It  seemed 
to  him  that  he  was  not  greatly  needed  here.  And 
at  last,  without  making  his  presence  known,  he 
turned  and  quietly  departed. 

But  scarcely  had  he  gone,  when  David,  as 
though  moved  by  some  dim  telepathic  message, 
scarcely  perceived,  arose  and  scanned  the  summit 
of  the  falls  carefully,  and  moved  restlessly  about. 

"Some  one  has  been  watching  us,"  he  declared. 
"Come,  let  us  go  home." 


More  Letters  to  John  141 

So  they  took  their  way  homeward,  David  car- 
rying the  basket  of  flowers  and  Mildred  follow- 
ing, trowel  in  hand,  with  her  torn  sunshade 
swinging  over  her  shoulder. 

They  entered  the  home  in  this  fashion,  but 
scarcely  had  David  crossed  the  threshold  when 
he  paused  and  seemed  to  assay  the  very  atmos- 
phere with  some  hidden  sixth  sense,  and  finally 
asked  sharply,  "Has  Brother  John  been  here?" 

A  moment  later  his  eye  fell  upon  a  familiar 
black  slouch  hat  thrown  carelessly  on  the  floor. 
With  a  cry  of  joy  the  two  ran  into  the  kitchen, 
but  as  they  entered,  John  slipped  from  the  rear 
door.  They  ran  into  the  rose  garden,  but  he  had 
dodged  around  the  house  and  entered  the  front 
door.  At  last,  by  dividing  their  forces,  and  en- 
tering at  both  doors,  they  ran  him  to  earth  in  the 
reading  room. 

David  fell  upon  him  and  hugged  him  raptur- 
ously. But  Mildred,  having  assisted  in  his  cap- 
ture, suddenly  was  seized  with  a  spirit  of  shyness 
and  mischief  combined.  And  when  John  would 
turn  to  greet  her  he  must  needs  become  the  pur- 
suer. He  caught  a  glimpse  of  her  bright  dress 
whisking  from  the  door,  and  when  he  ran  into 
the  garden  he  heard  her  low  laugh  in  the  house. 

Finally,  however,  he  cornered  her  in  the  rose 


142  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

garden,  and  she  threw  herself  panting  and  laugh- 
ing into  the  rustic  seat  where  she  had  posed  for 
the  miniature  one  year  before.  John  Nobleman 
sat  down  by  her  side  and  with  his  arm  about  her 
shoulders  fell  to  upbraiding  her  with  mock  seri- 
ousness. 

"You  ought  not  to  make  me  exercise  so,"  he 
declared.  "My  heart  is  very  bad;  it  is  all  I  can 
do  to  saw  through  a  five-foot  pine  without  stop- 
ping to  take  breath." 

"If  your  heart  is  bad  you  should  have  a  doc- 
tor," she  replied,  struggling  to  get  free.  "Let 
me  go  and  get  you  one.  I  can  get  a  calomel  doc- 
tor from  the  flat,  or  a  lobelia  doctor  from  the  hill, 
or  a  doctor  from  Warsaw  who  will  bleed  you." 

"Yes,"  he  answered,  grimly,  "no  doubt  there 
are  many  doctors  in  Warsaw  and  Carthage  who 
would  very  gladly  bleed  me  and  a  whole  lot  more 
of  us  if  they  but  had  the  opportunity.  But  we 
bled  enough  in  Missouri.  No,  I  would  prefer 
your  lobelia  doctor  if  I  must  have  one,  but  I 
think  my  ailment  is  mostly  spiritual." 

"Oh,  then,  you  need  a  minister.  I  will  get  you 
Brother  Hyrum,  or  Brother  Sidney  Rigdon,  or 
I  may  even  be  able  to  procure  a  real  doctor  of 
divinity,  a  Presbyterian  or  a  Methodist  from  the 
hill." 


More  Letters  to  John  143 

"No  doctor  is  wanted,"  he  replied,  flatly; 
"neither  M.  D.'s  nor  D.  D.'s.  What  I  need  is  a 
nurse  and  a  cook " 

"Very  well,"  she  cried,  breaking  away  and 
running  into  the  house,  "I  will  send  for  old 
Mammy  Brown ;  she  is  a  good  nurse  and  a  good 
cook." 

When  he  had  captured  her  again,  the  whole 
family  assembled  in  the  rose  garden  and  ex- 
changed news,  compared  notes,  all  or  nearly  all 
of  them  talking  at  once,  as  is  the  rule  at  such 
times.  John  inquired  for  the  latest  news  and 
received  it  in  detail.  That  very  day  the  Maid  of 
Iowa  was  to  begin  running  regularly  as  a  ferry 
boat  between  Nauvoo  and  Montrose,  Captain 
Dan  Jones  in  temporary  charge,  though  Captain 
Jones  himself  was  expected  to  take  a  mission  to 
Wales  a  little  later.  Addison  Pratt,  Noah 
Roger,  Benjamin  F.  Grouard,  and  Knowlton  F. 
Hanks  had  been  appointed  but  yesterday  by  a 
council  to  go  on  a  mission  to  the  Pacific  Isles; 
James  Sloan  to  Ireland,  John  Cairns  to  Scot- 
land, and  a  number  to  England.  Two  had  been 
directed  to  go  to  Germany  and  Switzerland. 

The  Twelve  were  to  go  eastward  to  Maine, 
preaching  and  collecting  money  for  the  Temple 
and  the  Nauvoo  House.  A  music  hall  was  to 


144  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

be  established  on  lot  four,  block  sixty-seven, 
much  to  the  joy  of  David.  Peter  Haws  had 
called  for  twenty-five  men  to  go  with  him  to  the 
pine  country.  Joseph  Smith  had  preached  a 
sermon  in  memory  of  Lorenzo  D.  Barnes,  the 
first  missionary  of  the  church  to  die  in  a  foreign 
field,  he  having  died  at  Bradford,  England,  the 
previous  December.  Apple  trees  had  been  in 
bloom  for  two  days,  as  he  might  observe  if  he 
would  look  about  and  smell  the  fragrant  air.  A 
bluebird  was  nesting  in  the  hollow  maple.  And 
so  on  and  on  until  all  had  said  all  they  could 
think  of  to  say. 

The  three  must  take  a  walk  to  David's  Look- 
out and  have  a  glance  at  the  river,  and  at  the 
time  while  David  pretended  to  admire  the  river 
John  must  steal  a  glance  into  those  wonderful 
blue  eyes  that  David  had  written  about.  Some 
way  he  found  them  much  more  wonderful  than 
David's  pen  had  pictured  them;  far  more  thrill- 
ing even  than  the  eyes  in  the  miniature  which 
John  Nobleman  had  studied  daily. 

Then  they  took  their  way  to  the  water  front 
and  out  on  the  big  raft.  Crowds  of  spectators 
lined  the  bank  and  men  were  preparing  to  break 
up  the  raft.  John  explained  in  detail  to  them  the 
work  in  the  pineries;  how  the  trees  were  cut, 


More  Letters  to  John  145 

hauled,  sawed,  floated  down  stream,  made  into 
rafts,  guided  down  the  mighty  river,  and  again 
on  and  on.  Then  back  home  they  went  and  Mil- 
dred prepared  one  of  her  famous  dinners.  John 
ate  more  sparingly  than  Kis-Kish-Kee,  'tis  true, 
but  with  even  greater  appreciation,  and  with 
more  subtle  ways  of  expressing  his  praise,  so 
that  she  blushed  more  prettily  than  for  the  old 
Indian,  and  was  very,  very  happy ;  so  happy  that 
her  heart  hurt  within  her  and  a  little  tear  came 
to  her  eyes. 

After  the  dinner  John  brought  his  gifts  from 
the  boathouse  on  the  raft.  He  had  great  bricks 
of  maple  sugar,  made  under  the  supervision  of 
French  La  Barron,  who  took  no  risks  that  the 
Indian  should  strain  the  sap  through  their  dirty 
blankets.  And  there  were  dried  venison,  and 
dried  berries,  and  pretty  pine  cones,  and  baskets 
manufactured  by  the  Indians,  and  blankets,  and 
bows  and  arrows  and  whatnot? 

And  last  of  all  John  Nobleman  reclaimed 
Thunderbolt,  and  helping  Mildred  into  the  sad- 
dle, put  his  arm  about  her,  and  walking  by  her 
side  went  down  to  the  river  just  as  the  sun  was 
setting.  The  big  black  horse,  stepping  daintily, 
wetted  his  feet  in  the  big  and  solemn  river,  and 
TT— 9 


146  .Timbers  for  the  Temple 

drank  at  his  leisure.  A  solitary  Indian  putting 
out  in  his  canoe  shook  his  head  dubiously.  Old 
Kis-Kish-Kee  liked  to  see  no  one  but  David  with 
the  young  white  squaw  who  could  cook  venison 
so  delightfully.  But  Mildred  did  not  see  the  old 
Indian,  nor  did  John;  for  John  was  whispering 
and  Mildred  listening  to  the  new  name  known 
only  to  the  two. 


Timbers  for  the  Temple  147 

Chapter  Eleven 

MR.  PRIOR  RETURNS 

ONLY  a  few  days  after  his  first  visit  the 
Reverend  Mr.  Prior  appeared  again  at 
the  Nobleman  home.    He  seemed  subdued 
and  troubled  in  mind   and   they   learned   upon 
questioning  him  that  he  had  attended  a  prayer 
service  the  evening  before  at  which  the  gifts  of 
the  gospel  in  prophecy  and  tongues  had  been 
manifested.      Evidently  he   had   felt   a   power 
present  that  he  had  never  before  experienced, 
and  it  had  impressed  him  very  deeply. 

"Suppose  you  should  decide  that  the  power 
you  felt  was  of  God,  what  would  you  do?"  asked 
David,  curiously. 

The  visitor  shook  his  head  in  a  perplexed  man- 
ner, but  something  of  the  old  twinkle  appeared 
in  his  eyes  as  he  answered:  "It  is  too  early  for 
me  to  express  an  opinion,  but  you  can  imagine 
how  a  dyed-in-the-wool  Methodist  preacher 
would  feel  under  those  conditions.  There  are  my 
early  education,  my  prejudices,  my  lifelong 
friends,  my  position  (for  I  know  nothing  but  the 


148  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

ministry),  my  living  as  a  preacher,  all  arrayed 
on  one  side  of  the  question — what  is  on  the  other 
side?  What  have  you  to  offer?" 

David  answered  soberly:  "We  are  making  no 
offers.  We  are  not  urging  you  at  all.  Take  all 
the  time  you  wish  to  investigate.  If  you  find 
that  we  have  the  truth,  remember  the  woman  who 
sold  all  she  had  and  bought  the  pearl  of  great 
price.  You  may  lose  your  friends — at  least  you 
would  be  in  a  position  to  find  out  which  of  them 
were  loyal — and  you  might  lose  your  salary.  But 
I  am  sure  God  would  suffer  you  to  meet  with  no 
more  affliction  than  might  be  good  for  your  own 
soul — and  you  would  find  other  friends." 

"That  was  about  what  I  expected  you  to  say," 
answered  the  visitor.  "If  you  had  said,  Come 
right  on  in  and  we  will  fix  you  up  with  a  good 
salary,  I  should  have  felt  suspicious." 

Soon  they  were  seated  on  the  veranda  again, 
and  David  said:  "We  might  continue  the  story 
where  we  dropped  it  a  few  days  ago.  The  next 
manifestation  granted  to  Joseph  Smith  came 
some  three  years  later.  I  will  read  his  descrip- 
tion of  it  from  The  Times  and  Seasons,  if  you 
wish.  He  says : 

"  'While  I  was  thus  in  the  act  of  calling  upon 
God  I  discovered  a  light  appearing  in  the  room, 


Mr.  Prior  Returns  149 

which  continued  to  increase  until  the  room  was 
lighter  than  at  noonday,  when  immediately  a 
personage  appeared  at  my  bedside  standing  in 
the  air,  for  his  feet  did  not  touch  the  floor.  He 
had  on  a  loose  robe  of  most  exquisite  whiteness. 
It  was  a  whiteness  beyond  anything  earthly  I 
had  ever  seen;  nor  do  I  believe  that  any  earthly 
thing  could  be  made  to  appear  so  exceedingly 
white  and  brilliant;  his  hands  were  naked,  and 
his  arms  also  a  little  above  the  wrist.  So  also 
were  his  feet  naked,  as  were  his  legs  a  little  above 
the  ankles.  His  head  and  neck  were  also  bare. 
I  could  discover  that  he  had  no  other  clothing  on 
but  this  robe,  as  it  was  opened  so  that  I  could 
see  his  bosom.  Not  only  was  his  robe  exceedingly 
white,  but  his  whole  person  was  glorious  beyond 
description,  and  his  countenance  truly  like  light- 
ning. The  room  was  exceedingly  light,  but  not 
so  very  bright  as  immediately  around  his  person. 
When  I  first  looked  upon  him  I  was  afraid,  but 
the  fear  soon  left  me.  He  called  me  by  name, 
and  said  unto  me  that  he  was  a  messenger  sent 
from  the  presence  of  God  to  me,  and  that  his 
name  was  Nephi.  That  God  had  a  work  for  me 
to  do,  and  that  my  name  should  be  had  for 
good  and  evil,  among  all  nations,  kindreds,  and 


150  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

tongues ;  or  that  it  should  be  both  good  and  evil 
spoken  of  among  all  people." 

David  did  not  read  further  in  this  account,  as 
he  did  not  wish  to  weary  his  hearer  with  too  much 
reading.  He  preferred  to  summarize  the  remain- 
der of  the  story  of  this  remarkable  vision,  which 
he  did. 

As  David  finished,  the  visitor  said  slowly,  "The 
angel  surely  told  the  truth  when  he  said  that 
Joseph  Smith's  name  should  be  had  for  good  and 
for  evil  among  all  nations.  That  prediction  is 
already  fulfilled.  And  possibly  the  prediction 
you  mention  regarding  the  return  of  the  Jews 
may  be  fulfilled  in  time." 

"It  surely  will  be,"  answered  David.  "You  note 
that  the  angel  quoted  the  eleventh  chapter  of 
Isaiah.  The  eleventh  and  twelfth  verses  of  that 
chapter  read:  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that 
day,  that  the  Lord  shall  set  his  hand  again,  the 
second  time  to  recover  the  remnant  of  his  people, 
which  shall  be  left,  from  Assyria,  and  from 
Egypt,  and  from  Pathros,  and  from  Cush,  and 
from  Elam,  and  from  Shinar,  and  from  Hamath, 
and  from  the  islands  of  the  sea.  And  he  shall 
set  up  an  ensign  for  the  nations,  and  shall  assem- 
ble the  outcasts  of  Israel,  and  gather  together 


Mr.  Prior  Returns  151 

the  dispersed  of  Judah  from  the  four  corners  of 
the  earth/  " 

After  they  had  discussed  various  topics  raised 
by  the  reading,  David  continued,  "I  would  like 
to  show  you  how  step  by  step  God  revealed  him- 
self and  how  every  step  was  taken  in  harmony 
with  a  'thus  saith  the  Lord.' 

"We  believe,  as  you  already  know,  that  au- 
thority must  be  had  to  preach  the  gospel  and 
administer  the  ordinances.  Jesus  said:  'And  no 
man  taketh  this  honor  unto  himself,  but  he  that 
is  called  of  God,  as  was  Aaron.  So  also  Christ 
glorified  not  himself  to  be  made  a  high  priest; 
but  he  that  said  unto  him,  Thou  art  my  Son,  to- 
day have  I  begotten  thee.' 

"It  is  not  a  matter  of  deciding  to  go  out  and 
preach.  A  call  and  an  ordination  are  necessary. 
Jesus  said,  again:  'Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I 
have  chosen  you,  and  ordained  you,  that  ye  should 
go  and  bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit 
should  remain.' 

"Men  may  attempt  to  trace  their  authority 
back  to  the  apostles,  and  for  those  who  reject 
restored  authority,  that  is  the  only  recourse,  but 
in  so  doing  they  will  invariably  trace  it  back  to 
the  Roman  Catholic  hierarchy,  as  Wesley  did 
when  challenged,  but  that  is  not  enough,  for  we 


152  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

hold  that  the  Roman  Catholic  priesthood  lost  all 
authority  long  ago,  under  the  terms :  '  Whosoever 
transgresseth,  and  abideth  not  in  the  doctrine  of 
Christ,  hath  not  God.  He  that  abideth  in  the 
doctrine  of  Christ,  he  hath  both  the  Father  and 
the  Son.'  (2  John  9.) 

"We  believe  that  priestly  authority  once  be- 
stowed by  direct  revelation,  later  lost  during  the 
great  apostasy,  has  been  again  restored  by  direct 
revelation.  I  will  read  again  from  Joseph 
Smith's  account : 

"  'We  still  continue  the  work  of  translation, 
when  in  the  ensuing  month,  (May,  eighteen  hun- 
dred and  twenty-nine,)  we  on  a  certain  day  went 
into  the  woods  to  pray  and  inquire  of  the  Lord 
respecting  baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins,  as 
we  found  mentioned  in  the  translation  of  the 
plates.  While  we  were  thus  employed,  praying, 
and  calling  upon  the  Lord,  a  messenger  from 
heaven  descended  in  a  cloud  of  light,  and  having 
laid  his  hands  upon  us,  he  ordained  us,  saying 
unto  us,  "Upon  you,  my  fellow  servants,  in  the 
name  of  Messiah,  I  confer  the  priesthood  of 
Aaron,  which  holds  the  keys  of  the  ministering 
of  angels,  and  of  the  gospel  of  repentance,  and 
of  baptism  by  immersion,  for  the  remission  of 
sins,  and  this  shall  never  be  taken  again  from  the 


Mr.  Prior  Returns  158 

earth,  until  the  sons  of  Levi  do  offer  again  an 
offering  unto  the  Lord  in  righteousness."  He 
said  this  Aaronic  priesthood  had  not  the  power  of 
laying  on  of  hands,  for  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  but  that  this  should  be  conferred  on  us 
hereafter,  and  he  commanded  us  to  go  and  be 
baptized,  and  gave  us  directions  that  I  should 
baptize  Oliver  Cowdery,  and  afterwards  that  he 
should  baptize  me. 

*  'Accordingly  we  went  and  were  baptized.  I 
baptized  him  first,  and  afterwards  he  baptized 
me,  after  which  I  laid  my  hands  upon  his  head 
and  ordained  him  to  the  Aaronic  priesthood,  and 
afterwards  he  laid  his  hands  on  me  and  ordained 
me  to  the  same  priesthood,  for  so  we  were  com- 
manded. .  .  . 

1  'Immediately  upon  our  coming  up  out  of  the 
water,  after  we  had  been  baptized,  we  experi- 
enced great  and  glorious  blessings  from  our 
heavenly  Father.  No  sooner  had  I  baptized 
Oliver  Cowdery  than  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  upon 
him  and  he  stood  up  and  prophesied  many  things 
which  should  shortly  come  to  pass:  and  again  so 
soon  as  I  had  been  baptized  by  him,  I  also  had  the 
spirit  of  prophecy,  when,  standing  up  I  prophe- 
sied concerning  the  rise  of  the  church,  and  many 
other  things  connected  with  the  church,  and  this 


154  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

generation  of  the  children  of  men.  We  were 
filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  rejoiced  in  the 
God  of  our  salvation.' ' 

When  David  paused  in  his  reading,  the  visitor 
attempted  to  speak,  but  the  reader  stopped  him, 
saying,  "Pardon  me,  Mr.  Prior;  allow  me  to  read 
Oliver  Cowdery's  account  of  the  same  event,  and 
then  you  may  comment.  It  is  as  follows: 

'  'On  a  sudden,  as  from  the  midst  of  eternity, 
the  voice  of  the  Redeemer  spake  peace  to  us, 
while  the  vail  was  parted  and  the  angel  of  God 
came  down  clothed  with  glory,  and  delivered  the 
anxiously  looked  for  message,  and  the  keys  of 
the  gospel  of  repentance. 

'What  joy!  what  wonder!  what  amazement! 
While  the  world  was  racked  and  distracted — 
while  millions  were  groping  as  the  blind  for  the 
wall,  and  while  all  men  were  resting  upon  un- 
certainty, as  a  general  mass,  our  eyes  beheld— 
our  ears  heard. 

"  'As  in  the  "blaze  of  day";  yes,  more — above 
the  glitter  of  the  May  sunshine,  which  then  shed 
its  brilliancy  over  the  face  of  nature!  Then  his 
voice,  though  mild,  pierced  to  the  center,  and  his 
words,  "I  am  thy  fellow  servant,"  dispelled  every 
fear. 
"  We  listened — we  gazed — we  admired!  'Twas 


Mr.  Prior  Returns  155 

the  voice  of  the  angel  from  glory — 'twas  a  mes- 
sage from  the  Most  High!  and  as  we  heard  we 
rejoiced,  while  his  love  enkindled  upon  our  souls, 
and  we  were  rapt  in  the  vision  of  the  Almighty! 

"  *  Where  was  room  for  doubt?  Nowhere;  un- 
certainty had  fled,  doubt  had  sunk,  no  more  to 
rise,  while  fiction  and  deception  had  fled  forever! 

"  'But,  dear  brother,  think,  further  think  for  a 
moment,  what  joy  filled  our  hearts  and  with  what 
surprise  we  must  have  bowed,  (for  who  would 
not  have  bowed  the  knee  for  such  a  blessing?) 
when  we  received  under  his  hand  the  holy  priest- 
hood, as  he  said,  "Upon  you  my  fellow  servants, 
in  the  name  of  Messiah,  I  confer  this  priesthood 
and  this  authority,  which  shall  remain  upon  earth, 
that  the  sons  of  Levi  may  yet  offer  an  offering 
unto  the  Lord  in  righteousness." 

When  David  had  finished  reading,  the  Rev- 
erend Prior  removed  his  glasses,  polished  them 
carefully,  readjusted  them,  and  said:  "If  true, 
that  was  a  most  wonderful  experience.  I  wish 
that  men  might  indeed  have  such  experiences 
now ;  it  would  make  our  faith  so  much  more  vital 
and  powerful." 

He  paused,  and  David  said,  "  'For  our  gospel 
came  not  unto  us  in  word  only,  but  in  power, 
and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  in  much  assurance.' ' 


156  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

"To  be  frank,"  went  on  the  visitor,  "I  have 
at  times  grown  rather  tired  of  explaining  why 
the  churches  do  not  have  many  things  that  they 
should  have.  I  am  tempted  to  believe  that  the 
day  has  come  spoken  of  by  Paul,  wherein  men 
should  have  a  form  of  godliness,  but  deny  the 
power  thereof.  I  have  felt  the  need  of  power  and 
spiritual  gifts — but  to  find  them  here — at  Nau- 
voo — among  the  Mormons — with  old  Joe  Smith 
— "  he  shook  his  head  in  consternation. 

"But,  young  man,  you  surely  are  ready  in 
your  defense,  and  zealous.  I  marvel  to  find 
your  people,  even  the  young  members,  so  well 
versed  in  scripture  and  so  fluent  in  argument 
in  support  of  their  position.  It  is  not  so  among 
the  people  with  whom  I  have  labored.  The 
young  seem  to  have  no  interest  in  Bible  topics, 
and  they  know  no  more  than  the  man  in  the 
moon  what  the  doctrines  of  their  church  may  be, 
and  apparently  care  less.  The  moon  peeks  in  at 
my  study  window  every  night,  but  I  could  hardly 
drag  one  of  them  into  my  presence,  while  here 
even  the  young  people  are  missionaries  eager  to 
preach  the  gospel  as  they  believe  it. 

"But  go  on  with  your  history,  I  am  mightily 
interested.  Though  I  suppose  next  you  will  be 
undermining  my  favorite  doctrine,  to-wit,  That 


Mr.  Prior  Returns  157 

men  are  saved  by  faith  and  not  by  works  is  a 
wholesome  doctrine  and  very  full  of  comfort." 

David  laughed,  "Not  I,"  he  answered.  "I  will 
let  you  wrestle  with  God,  who  says  that  every 
man  shall  be  judged  and  rewarded  according  to 
his  own  works.  I  will  go  on  with  other  mat- 
ters. I  wish  next  to  read  an  account  of  the 
organization  of  the  church,  as  follows: 

"  'Whilst  the  Book  of  Mormon  was  in  the 
hands  of  the  printer,  we  still  continued  to  bear 
testimony,  and  give  information,  as  far  as  we 
had  opportunity;  and  also  made  known  to  our 
brethren,  that  we  had  received  commandment  to 
organize  the  church,  and  accordingly  we  met  to- 
gether for  that  purpose,  at  the  house  of  the  above 
mentioned  Mr.  Whitmer,  (being  six  in  number,) 
on  Tuesday,  the  sixth  day  of  April,  A.  D.  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty. 

'  'Having  opened  the  meeting  by  solemn 
prayer  to  our  heavenly  Father  we  proceeded, 
(according  to  previous  commandment)  to  call  on 
our  brethren  to  know  whether  they  accepted  us 
as  their  teachers  in  the  things  of  the  kingdom  of 
God,  and  whether  they  were  satisfied  that  we 
should  proceed  and  be  organized  as  a  church  ac- 
cording to  said  commandment  which  we  had  re- 


158  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

ceived.     To  these  they  consented  by  unanimous 
vote. 

"  'I  then  laid  my  hands  upon  Oliver  Cowdery 
and  ordained  him  an  elder  of  the  "Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints."  After 
which  he  ordained  me  also  to  the  office  of  an 
elder  of  said  church. 

"  'We  then  took  bread,  blessed  it,  and  break 
it  with  them,  also  wine,  blessed  it,  and  drank  it 
with  them. 

'We  then  laid  our  hands  on  each  individual 
member  of  the  church  present  that  they  might 
receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  be  con- 
firmed members  of  the  church  of  Christ.  The 
Holy  Ghost  was  poured  out  upon  us  to  a  very 
great  degree,  some  prophesied,  whilst  we  all 
praised  the  Lord  and  rejoiced  exceedingly.' 

"You  will  see  that  in  this,  as  in  all  other  mat- 
ters, they  moved  only  by  commandment  from  on 
high.  They  were  in  that  quite  unlike  other 
church  builders  who  have  moved  out  in  their  own 
wisdom,  not  even  claiming  the  least  manifesta- 
tion of  divine  direction,  yes,  even  denying  the 
possibility  of  anyone  receiving  such  revelation. 

"To  make  a  long  story  short,  the  work  of  or- 
ganization went  forward  rapidly.  Men  were 
called  and  ordained  to  the  various  offices  until 


Mr.  Prior  Returns  159 

all  the  officers  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament 
Scripture  as  a  part  of  the  church  were  in  their 
places.  Let  me  read  a  few  passages  of  scripture 
on  that  point,  from  Corinthians: 

"  'And  God  hath  set  some  in  the  church,  first 
apostles,  secondarily  prophets,  thirdly  teachers, 
after  that  miracles,  then  gifts  of  healings,  helps, 
governments,  diversities  of  tongues.' 

"Again  from  Ephesians: 

"  'And  he  gave  some  apostles;  and  some, 
prophets;  and  some,  evangelists;  and  some,  pas- 
tors and  teachers ;  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints, 
for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of 
the  body  of  Christ ;  till  we  all  come  in  the  unity 
of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of 
God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of 
the  stature  of  the  fullness  of  Christ;  that  we 
henceforth  be  no  more  children,  tossed  to  and 
fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doc- 
trine, by  the  sleight  of  men,  and  cunning  crafti- 
ness, whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive.' 

"In  other  places,  elders,  bishops,  deacons,  sev- 
enties, are  mentioned.  You  will  notice  that  these 
officers  were  set  in  the  church.  God  set  them 
there.  We  are  told  elsewhere  that  God  set  the 
sun  in  the  heavens.  It  still  shines  and  will  con- 
tinue to  do  so  until  its  work  is  done.  These  offi- 


160  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

cers  will  be  a  part  of  the  church  till  their  work  is 
done,  and  that  work  is  to  help  perfect  the  saints 
of  God  and  bring  them  to  a  unity  of  the  faith." 

The  Reverend  Prior  rumpled  his  hair  reflec- 
tively, and  said  with  a  smile,  "Well,  I  must  admit 
that  unity  and  perfection  are  yet  to  come.  But 
I  had  always  held  that  the  apostles  and  prophets 
mentioned  here  are  still  in  the  church.  That  is, 
that  those  who  lived  in  the  days  of  Jesus  are  still 
doing  their  work  through  their  record  in  the 
Bible." 

"But  I  believe  that  you  insist  on  having 
pastors,  evangelists,  deacons,  bishops,"  replied 
David,  dryly.  "Why  draw  the  line  so  as  to  ex- 
clude living  prophets  and  apostles?" 

The  visitor  turned  his  gaze  upon  Mildred,  who 
was  an  attentive  listener  to  their  discussion,  and 
who  at  times  caught  a  fleeting  and  friendly 
glance  from  the  baffling  brown  eyes.  "Again  I 
ask  you  to  call  this  young  inquisitor  away,"  he 
pleaded,  "so  that  we  may  enjoy  the  river  view. 
He  is  determined  to  spoil  my  theology." 

"No,  I  would  not  spoil  your  theology,"  re- 
plied David.  "I  am  merely  explaining  our  own 
theology.  If  in  contrast  you  find  defects  in  your 
own,  do  not  say  that  I  have  spoiled  it.  I  did  not 


Mr.  Prior  Returns  161 

formulate  it.  If  it  is  of  God  it  cannot  be  spoiled 
by  me. 

"There  are  only  two  more  points  to  which  1 
will  call  your  attention.  The  first  is  that  of  doc- 
trine :  the  church  began  at '  once  teaching  the 
fundamental  doctrines  mentioned  by  Paul  in  He- 
brews 6 :  'Theref ore  leaving  the  principles  of  the 
doctrine  of  Christ,  let  us  go  on  unto  perfection; 
not  laying  again  the  foundation  of  repentance 
from  dead  works,  and  of  faith  toward  God,  of 
the  doctrine  of  baptisms,  and  of  laying  on  of 
hands,  and  of  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  of 
eternal  judgment.  And  this  will  we  do,  if  God 
permit/ 

"You  will  remember  that  Jesus  said  that  he 
had  selected  Paul  to  be  an  especial  messenger  to 
Jew  and  Gentile.  He  must  therefore  have  a  spe- 
cial message  for  us.  In  fact,  he  condenses  for  us 
in  those  passages  the  six  fundamental  principles 
of  the  doctrine  of  Christ. 

"It  is  complete  and  all-inclusive,  when  you 
stop  to  analyze  it.  It  takes  a  man  from  the  first 
dawn  of  faith  in  God,  through  repentance,  and 
through  the  waters  of  regeneration  in  baptism 
and  the  reception  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  up  through 
the  resurrection  and  into  the  presence  of  God  in 
the  eternal  judgment. 

TT— 10 


162  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

"The  other  point  that  I  wished  to  mention  is 
that  of  the  gifts :  early  in  the  history  of  this  move- 
ment the  gifts  were  restored — prophecy,  speak- 
ing in  tongues,  healing  the  sick,  miracles,  and  all 
the  ancient  blessings.  They  have  been  freely  en- 
joyed, as  many  thousands  of  living  witnesses  will 
testify.  This  is  in  harmony  with  the  promises. 
Let  me  read  again: 

"  'But  the  manifestation  of  the  Spirit  is  given 
to  every  man  to  profit  withal.  For  to  one  is 
given  by  the  Spirit  the  word  of  wisdom;  to  an- 
other the  word  of  knowledge  by  the  same  Spirit ; 
to  another  faith  by  the  same  Spirit;  to  another  the 
gifts  of  healing  by  the  same  Spirit;  to  another 
the  working  of  miracles ;  to  another  prophecy ;  to 
another  discerning  of  spirits;  to  another  the  in- 
terpretation of  tongues;  but  all  these  worketh 
that  one  and  the  selfsame  Spirit,  dividing  to 
every  man  severally  as  he  will.  For  as  the  body 
is  one,  and  hath  many  members,  and  all  the  mem- 
bers of  that  body,  being  many,  are  one  body: 
so  also  is  Christ.' ' 

When  David  had  finished,  their  visitor  drew 
from  his  pocket  a  few  sheets  of  paper  and  a 
gold-banded  pencil.  Having  adjusted  the  point 
of  his  pencil,  he  made  numerous  notes.  In  ex- 
planation, he  said:  "I  am  noting  the  chief  points 


Mr.  Prior  Returns  163 

of  difference  between  your  people  and  others, 
such  as  authority,  organic  form  of  the  church, 
doctrine,  belief  in  gospel  gifts,  revelations,  and 
so  on.  I  shall  study  these  things  carefully. 

"In  the  meantime  I  may  admit  that  I  have  felt 
a  power,  a  sweet  and  singular  power  here  in  this 
place  that  I  cannot  account  for.  If  it  is  indeed 
of  God,  'twould  be  heaven  to  live  here.  I  could 
then  understand  why  you  endure  persecution  and 
are  willing  to  die  for  your  faith,  and  why  you  are 
so  eager  to  preach  it,  and  why  you  come  together 
here  from  the  ends  of  the  earth." 

He  bade  them  a  feeling  good-by,  and  they  im- 
agined that  there  was  a  tear  in  his  eye  as  he  took 
his  departure.  "I  may  see  you  again,  and  I  may 
not,"  he  told  them.  "The  chances  are  that  I  shall 
be  called  away  soon." 

He  went  down  the  walk,  with  his  head  bowed, 
but  soon  he  lifted  it  and  increased  his  stride,  and 
they  noted  that  he  had  begun  to  swing  his  cane 
vigorously. 

"Will  you  convert  him,  David?"  asked  Mil- 
dred, anxiously. 

David  shook  his  head,  "I  think  not,"  he  an- 
swered. "He  is  much  impressed,  and  he  has  the 
mark  of  the  Spirit  upon  him,  but  I  am  afraid  he 
will  go  away  sorrowing,  like  the  rich  young  man. 


164  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

He  would  have  to  make  a  great  sacrifice,  from  his 
viewpoint,  to  unite  with  our  people." 

The  grandfather  Nobleman  had  listened  to  the 
conversation,  and  now  remarked,  "You  will  find, 
David,  that  we  make  many  more  converts  than 
we  ever  baptize.  That  is,  many  are  convinced  as 
to  the  soundness  of  our  position,  but  they  do  not 
come  to  the  point  of  making  an  open  confession. 
They  are  like  Nicodemus,  they  come  and  they  go, 
and  we  hear  no  more  of  them. 

"If  all  who  are  convinced  were  baptized  the 
roll  of  the  church  would  be  enormous.  As  it  is,  ' 
our  teaching  is  bound  to  affect  the  theology  of 
the  world  profoundly,  through  these  men  who 
are  impressed  but  who  still  hold  aloof.  Fifty 
or  a  hundred  years  from  now  the  effect  will  be 
more  apparent.  Many  of  our  unpopular  teach- 
ings will  then  be  more  generally  accepted,  such 
for  instance  as  divine  healing  and  the  second  ad- 
vent of  Christ." 


Timbers  for  the  Temple  165 

Chapter  Twelve 

NAUVOO  AS  SEEN   BY  REVEREND  PRIOR 

SOME  little  time  after  the  departure  of  the 
Reverend   Mr.   Prior,   David   came  home 
from  the  Times  and  Seasons  office  with  the 
latest  edition  of  that  periodical  so  much  prized 
by  the  Saints  in  those  days,  and  so  rich  in  his- 
toric interest  now.    It  was  evident  that  he  had 
discovered  something  of  interest  in  the  new  num- 
ber. 

When  he  had  called  the  family  together  he 
said,  "Mr.  Prior  may  have  left  us  rather  ab- 
ruptly, but  he  has  written  a  very  interesting  ac- 
count of  his  visit  to  Nauvoo,  or  a  part  of  it  at 
least." 

"A  VISIT  TO  NAUVOO 

"By  SAMUEL  A.  PRIOR,  a  Methodist  Minister. 

"Mr.  Editor;  I  feel  somewhat  unwilling  to  go 
from  this  city,  until  I  have  returned  my  sincere 
thanks  for  the  kind  treatment  I  have  received 
from  all  with  whom  I  have  had  any  intercourse, 
since  I  first  came  into  this  place.  I  must  confess 
that  I  left  home  with  no  very  favorable  opinions 


166  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

of  the  Latter  Day  Saints.  I  have  had  the  mis- 
fortune to  live  always  among  that  class  of  peo- 
ple who  look  upon  a  Mormon  as  a  being  of  quite 
another  race  from  the  rest  of  mankind  and  hold- 
ing no  affinity  to  the  human  family. 

"My  ears  had  been  so  often  assailed  by  the 
tales  of  their  vice  and  immorality,  that  I  could 
not  but  reflect,  in  spite  of  my  determination  to 
remain  unprejudiced,  that  I  should  witness  many 
scenes  detrimental  to  the  Christian  character,  if 
not  offensive  to  society.  My  friends  crowded 
around  me,  giving  me  many  cautions  against  the 
art  and  duplicity  of  that  deluded  sect,  as  they 
called  them,  and  entreated  me  to  observe  them 
closely,  and  learn  the  true  state  of  their  com- 
munity. . . . 

"On  my  arriving  at  Carthage,  I  accidentally 
met  an  old,  and  much-beloved  friend,  who  was 
himself  a  member  of  the  church.  Having  been 
apprised  of  my  design  in  visiting  the  church  of 
Latter  Day  Saints,  he  very  kindly  offered  to  ac- 
company me  to  Nauvoo,  the  city  of  the  prophet, 
but  stated  that  he  would  be  compelled  to  visit 
a  little  town  called  Macedonia,  before  he  could 
go  up,  and  wanted  me  to  go  with  him,  as  it  was 
only  eight  miles  distant.  .  .  . 

"The  next  day  at  eleven  o'clock,  I  had  the 


Nauvoo  and  Mr.  Prior  167 

honor  for  the  first  time  in  my  life,  to  hear  the 
prophet  preach;  a  notice  of  which  had  been  cir- 
culated the  evening  before.  I  will  not  attempt 
to  describe  the  various  feelings  of  my  bosom  as  I 
took  my  seat  in  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  con- 
gregation, who  were  waiting  in  breathless  silence 
for  his  appearance.  While  he  tarried,  I  had 
plenty  of  time  to  revolve  in  my  mind,  the  char- 
acter and  common  report  of  that  truly  singular 
personage. 

"I  fancied  that  I  should  behold  a  countenance 
sad  and  sorrowful,  yet  containing  the  fiery  marks 
of  rage  and  exasperation — I  supposed  that  I 
should  be  enabled  to  discover  in  him  some  of 
those  thoughtful  and  reserve  features,  those  mys- 
tic and  sarcastic  glances  which  I  had  fancied  the 
ancient  sages  to  possess.  I  expected  to  see  that 
fearful,  faltering  look  of  conscious  shame,  which, 
from  what  I  had  heard  of  him,  he  might  be  ex- 
pected to  evince. 

"He  appeared  at  last — but  how  was  I  disap- 
pointed, when,  instead  of  the  heads  and  horns  of 
the  beast,  and  false  prophet,  I  beheld  only  the 
appearance  of  a  common  man,  of  tolerably  large 
proportions.  I  was  sadly  disappointed,  and 
thought,  that  although  his  appearance  could  not 
be  wrested  to  indicate  anything  against  him,  yet 


168  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

he  would  manifest  all  I  had  heard  of  him,  when 
he  began  to  preach. 

"I  sat  uneasy  and  watched  him  closely.  He 
commenced  preaching,  not  from  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  however,  but  from  the  Bible;  the  first 
chapter  of  First  Peter  was  his  text.  He  com- 
menced calmly  and  continued  dispassionately  to 
pursue  his  subject,  while  I  sat  in  breathless  si- 
lence, waiting  to  hear  that  foul  aspersion  of  the 
other  sects,  that  diabolical  disposition  of  revenge, 
and  to  hear  that  rancorous  denunciation  of  every 
individual  but  a  Mormon. 

"I  waited  in  vain — I  listened  with  surprise — I 
sat  uneasy  in  my  seat,  and  could  hardly  persuade 
myself  but  that  he  had  been  apprised  of  my 
presence,  and  so  ordered  his  discourse  on  my  ac- 
count that  I  might  not  be  able  to  find  fault  with 
it,  for  instead  of  a  jumbled  jargon  of  half -con- 
nected sentences,  and  a  volley  of  imprecations, 
and  diabolical  and  malignant  denunciations 
heaped  upon  the  heads  of  all  who  differed  from 
him,  and  the  dreadful  twisting  and  wresting  of 
the  Scriptures,  to  suit  his  own  peculiar  views, 
and  attempt  to  weave  a  web  of  dark  and  mystic 
sophistry  around  the  gospel  truths  which  I  had 
anticipated,  he  glided  along  through  a  very  in- 
teresting and  elaborate  discourse,  with  all  the 


H     3 


Nauvoo  and  Mr.  Prior  169 

care  and  happy  facility  of  one  who  was  well 
aware  of  his  important  station,  and  his  duty  to 
God  and  man,  and  evidencing  to  me  that  he  was 
well  worthy  to  be  styled,  'a  workman  rightly 
dividing  the  word  of  truth,'  and  giving  without 
reserve,  'saint  and  sinner  his  portion  in  due  sea- 
son'— and  I  was  compelled  to  go  away  with  a 
very  different  opinion  from  what  I  had  enter- 
tained when  I  first  took  my  seat  to  hear  him 
preach. 

"In  the  evening  I  was  invited  to  preach  and 
did  so.  The  congregation  was  large  and  respect- 
able— they  paid  the  utmost  attention.  This  sur- 
prised me  a  little,  as  I  did  not  expect  to  find  any 
such  thing  as  a  religious  toleration  among  them. 
After  I  had  closed,  Elder  Smith,  who  had  at- 
tended, arose  and  begged  leave  to  differ  from  me 
in  some  few  points  of  doctrine,  and  this  he  did 
mildly;  politely,  and  effectingly;  like  one  who 
was  more  desirous  to  disseminate  truth  and  ex- 
pose error,  than  to  love  the  malicious  triumph  of 
debate  over  me.  .  .  . 

"But  there  was  one  thing  yet  remaining.  I 
had  not  yet  seen  Nauvoo,  and  so  often  having 
heard  that  it  was  the  most  degraded  place  in  the 
world,  the  very  sink  of  iniquity,  and  that  all  who 
lived  there  were  liars,  thieves,  and  villains,  who 


170  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

were  the  refuse  of  society,  and  the  filth  of  the 
world,  that  in  spite  of  my  better  judgment,  I 
expected  to  see  some  traces  at  least,  of  that  low 
prostitution  which  I  had  so  often  heard  charged 
upon  them. 

"At  length  the  city  burst  upon  my  sight,  and 
how  sadly  was  I  disappointed.  Instead  of  see- 
ing a  few  miserable  log  cabins  and  mud  hovels, 
which  I  had  expected  to  find,  I  was  surprised  to 
see  one  of  the  most  romantic  places  that  I  had 
visited  in  the  West.  The  buildings,  though  many 
of  them  were  small  and  of  wood,  yet  bore  the 
marks  of  neatness  which  I  have  not  seen  equaled 
in  this  country. 

"The  far-spread  plain  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill 
was  dotted  over  with  the  habitations  of  men  with 
such  majestic  profusion,  that  I  was  almost  will- 
ing to  believe  myself  mistaken;  and  instead  of 
being  in  Nauvoo  of  Illinois,  among  Mormons, 
that  I  was  in  Italy  at  the  city  of  Leghorn,  (which 
the  location  of  Nauvoo  resembles  very  much,) 
and  among  the  eccentric  Italians.  I  gazed  for 
some  time  with  fond  admiration  upon  the  plain 
below.  Here  and  there  arose  a  tall,  majestic 
brick  house,  speaking  loudly  of  the  genius  and 
untiring  labor  of  the  inhabitants,  who  have 
snatched  the  place  from  the  clutches  of  obscurity, 


Nauvoo  and  Mr.  Prior  171 

and  wrested  it  from  the  bonds  of  disease ;  and  in 
two  or  three  short  years  rescued  it  from  a  dreary 
waste  to  transform  it  into  one  of  the  first  cities 
in  the  West. 

"The  hill  upon  which  I  stood  was  covered  over 
with  the  dwellings  of  men,  and  amid  them  was 
seen  to  rise  the  hewn  stone  and  already  accom- 
plished work  of  the  temple,  which  is  now  raised 
fifteen  or  twenty  feet  above  the  ground.  The 
few  trees  that  were  permitted  to  stand,  are  now 
in  full  foliage,  and  are  scattered  with  a  sort  of 
fantastic  irregularity  over  the  slope  of  the  hill. 

"But  there  was  one  object  which  was  far  more 
noble  to  behold,  and  far  more  majestic  than  any 
other  yet  presented  to  my  sight — and  that  was 
the  widespread  and  unrivaled  Father  of  Waters, 
the  Mississippi  River,  whose  mirror-bedded 
waters  lay  in  majestic  extension  before  the  city, 
and  in  one  general  curve,  seemed  to  gallop  gal- 
lantly by  the  devoted  place. 

"On  the  farther  side  was  seen  the  dark  green 
woodland,  bending  under  its  deep  foliage,  with 
here  and  there  an  interstice  bearing  the  marks 
of  cultivation.  A  few  houses  could  be  seen 
through  the  trees  on  the  other  side  of  the  river 
directly  opposite,  of  which  is  spread  a  fairy  isle, 
covered  with  beautiful  timber.  This  isle  and  the 


172  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

romantic  swell  of  the  river  soon  brought  my  mind 
back  to  days  of  yore,  and  to  the  bright  emerald 
isles  of  the  far-famed  fairyland.  The  bold  and 
prominent  rise  of  the  hill,  fitting  to  the  plain  with 
an  exact  regularity,  and  the  plain  pushing  itself 
into  the  river,  forcing  it  to  bend  around  its  ob- 
stacle with  becoming  grandeur,  and  fondly  to 
cling  around  it  to  add  to  the  heightened  and  re- 
fined luster  to  this  sequestered  land. 

"I  passed  on  into  the  more  active  parts  of  the 
city,  looking  into  every  street  and  lane  to  ob- 
serve all  that  was  passing.  I  found  all  the  people 
engaged  in  some  useful  and  healthy  employment. 
The  place  was  alive  with  business — much  more 
so  than  any  place  I  have  visited  since  the  hard 
times  commenced.  I  sought  in  vain  for  anything 
that  bore  the  marks  of  immorality;  but  was  both 
astonished  and  highly  pleased  at  my  ill  success. 

"I  could  see  no  loungers  about  the  streets,  nor 
any  drunkards  about  the  taverns.  I  did  not  meet 
with  those  distorted  features  of  ruffians,  or  with 
the  ill-bred  or  impudent.  I  heard  not  an  oath 
in  the  place;  I  saw  not  a  gloomy  countenance; 
all  were  cheerful,  polite,  and  industrious." 


Timbers  for  the  Temple  173 

Chapter  Thirteen 

ANOTHER  FOURTH  OF  JULY  IN  NAUVOO 

July  4,  184$. — At  a  very  early  hour  people  began  to  assemble 
at  the  grove,  and  at  eleven  o'clock  nearly  thirteen  thousand  per- 
sons had  congregated,  and  were  addressd  in  a  very  able  and  ap- 
propriate manner  by  Elder  Orson  Hyde,  who  has  recently  been 
appointed  on  a  mission  to  Saint  Petersburg,  Russia.  At  two 
o'clock  they  were  again  addressed  by  Elder  Parley  P.  Pratt  on 
redemption,  in  a  masterly  discourse,  when  I  made  a  few  remarks. 
A  constant  accession  of  numbers  swelled  the  congregation  to  fif- 
teen thousand,  as  near  as  could  be  estimated.  Three  steamers 
arrived  in  the  afternoon;  one  from  Saint  Louis,  one  from  Quincy, 
and  one  from  Burlington.  .  .  .  On  the  arrival  of  each  boat  the 
people  were  escorted  by  the  Nauvoo  band  to  convenient  seats  pro- 
vided for  them,  and  were  welcomed  by  the  firing  of  cannon,  which 
brought  to  our  minds  the  last  words  of  the  patriot  Jefferson,  "Let 
this  day  be  celebrated  by  the  firing  of  cannon." 

July  8. — Bishop  Miller  arrived  from  the  pinery  with  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-seven  thousand  feet  of  lumber  and  seventy  thousand 
shingles  for  the  temple. 

July  91.— The  "Maid  of  Iowa"  sailed  for  the  pinery  in  Wiscon- 
sin, with  Bishop  Miller,  Lyman  Wight,  and  a  large  company, 
with  their  families. — Joseph  Smith's  Diary. 

A"rOUNG   man   came   whistling   down   the 
street  from  the  temple  and  turned  in  at  the 
Nobleman  home.    He  walked  bareheaded, 
with  his  long,  black  locks  flung  back  from  his 
high,  white  brow.     He  was  tall  and  slight,  with 
a  faint  flush  of  health  showing  under  the  clear 


174  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

pallor  of  his  skin.  His  eyes  were  dreamy,  with 
the  habitual  abstraction  of  the  poet.  But  they 
lightened  suddenly  at  the  vision  that  greeted  him. 

A  young  girl  sat  near  the  maple  trees  in  the 
front  yard,  drying  her  hair  in  the  bright  July 
sunshine.  The  hair  was  as  yellow  as  the  sunlight, 
and  it  fell  over  her  shoulders,  a  rippling  cascade 
of  golden  sunlight. 

The  young  man  stepped  to  her  side  and  passed 
his  hand  gently  over  the  shining  strands  while 
he  smiled  tenderly  into  the  blue  eyes  upturned 
to  meet  his  gaze. 

"Little  sister,  you  are  fast  becoming  a  woman," 
he  said.  "The  days  fly  past  so  swiftly  here  in 
busy  Nauvoo  that  you  will  be  quite  grown  up 
and  very  dignified  before  we  know  it." 

"And  you,  David,"  answered  Mildred,  "are 
becoming  a  man.  First  we  know  you  will  be  off 
on  a  mission  to  China  or  to  the  islands  of  the  sea, 
like  Brethren  Grouard  and  Rodger." 

But  on  this  peaceful  scene  burst  a  third  person, 
John  Nobleman,  apparently  very  much  in  a 
hurry  and  laboring  under  some  stress  of  feeling. 
Though  in  the  tense  attitude  of  his  figure  there 
was  a  hint  of  resolute  purpose,  yet  he  spoke  in 
his  usual  low  and  even  tones,  when  he  said : 

"I  have  just  come  from  the  Temple  Lot,  where 


Another  Fourth  of  July  175 

Hyrum  Smith  had  called  a  meeting  of  the  breth- 
ren. We  have  learned  by  special  messenger  that 
Brother  Joseph  was  assaulted  and  kidnapped  by 
armed  men  while  visiting  relatives  at  Inlet,  near 
Dixon,  in  Lee  County.  With  guns  to  his  breast 
and  under  threat  of  death  they  compelled  him 
to  go  with  them.  It  is  supposed  that  they  intend 
to  carry  him  to  Missouri,  where  he  will  surely  be 
killed.  But  the  citizens  at  Dixon  have  interfered 
and  spoiled  their  plans  for  the  time  being.  A 
great  many  of  the  brethren  have  volunteered  to 
go  at  once  to  endeavor  to  see  that  he  is  protected, 
and  if  there  are  officers,  to  see  that  he  has  proper 
legal  counsel  and  a  fair  hearing.  I  am  going  as 
soon  as  I  can  get  Thunderbolt." 

In  a  very  few  minutes  he  reappeared,  riding 
down  the  alley,  and  waved  them  good-by  as  he 
went  tearing  up  the  hill  road  on  the  black 
horse,  making  the  pebbles  fly  in  his  haste  to  join 
the  other  men  on  this  errand. 

Thereafter  they  did  not  see  him  for  five  long 
and  anxious  days,  whereupon  he  came  riding 
down  the  hill  again,  apparently  in  a  mood  as 
leisurely  as  it  had  been  hurried  at  l^s  departure. 
His  tired  horse  and  travel-worn  appearance  in- 
dicated that  the  ride  had  been  hard  and  long. 

After  informing  them  that  Joseph  was  safely 


176  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

in  Nauvoo  again,  he  would  not  talk  further  until 
he  had  stabled  his  faithful  nag,  washed  himself, 
and  changed  his  clothing.  Then,  seated  at  the 
table,  for  it  was  then  three  o'clock  and  he  had  not 
yet  eaten,  he  told  his  story: 

"It  seems,"  he  said,  "that  two  men,  Reynolds, 
of  Jackson  County,  Missouri,  and  Wilson,  of 
Carthage,  Illinois,  came  after  Brother  Joseph 
with  a  writ  charging  him  with  treason  against 
the  State  of  Missouri.  They  appeared  suddenly 
at  the  home  of  the  Wassons,  where  Joseph  was 
staying,  and  finding  him  in  the  yard,  fell  upon 
him  and  abused  him  vilely,  prodding  with  pistols 
and  threatening  to  shoot  him. 

"They  refused  to  show  any  papers  and  threat- 
ened all  who  approached.  They  would  scarcely 
permit  his  wife  to  bring  him  a  hat  and  coat;  in- 
deed they  did  not  do  so  until  Brother  Stephen 
Markham  interfered  at  the  risk  of  his  life  and 
held  the  horses'  bridles  until  Sister  Emma  could 
bring  the  hat  and  coat.  They  put  him  in  a  wagon 
and  hurried  off  towards  Dixon,  still  holding  pis- 
tols at  his  sides  and  threatening  to  kill  him. 

"Every  request  for  legal  counsel  was  met  with 
the  threat  of  death.  At  Dixon  they  went  to  Mc- 
Kennie's  tavern  and  thrust  him  into  a  room,  or- 
dering fresh  horses  to  be  ready  in  five  minutes. 


Another  Fourth  of  July  177 

They  intended  to  rush  him  into  Missouri  without 
a  hearing.  Seeing  a  person  passing  his  window, 
he  called  out,  *I  am  being  falsely  imprisoned 
without  counsel.  I  want  a  lawyer.'  Accordingly 
Lawyer  Southwick  came,  but  the  door  was 
slammed  in  his  face  and  he  was  told  that  he  would 
be  shot  if  he  interfered.  Lawyer  Patrick  came 
and  received  the  same  treatment. 

"This  being  noised  about  town,  raised  the  ire 
of  the  citizens,  who  soon  gathered  about  the  tav- 
ern and  told  Reynolds  and  Wilson  that  such  pro- 
ceedings would  not  be  endured,  that  Brother 
Joseph  must  have  counsel  if  he  wished  it.  Ac- 
cordingly, with  very  poor  grace,  they  admitted 
Lawyer  Southwick,  and  Brother  Joseph  asked 
for  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus." 

"What  is  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus?"  asked  Mil- 
dred, who  had  been  listening,  round-eyed,  to  the 
story. 

John  paused  and  smiled,  with  the  air  of  satis- 
faction that  a  man  wears  when  about  to  en- 
lighten the  feminine  mind  on  subjects  of  law  or 
politics.  "A  writ  of  habeas  corpus,"  he  replied, 
"is  a  writ  designed  to  protect  against  false  im- 
prisonment. It  requires  one  who  is  holding 
another  in  custody  to  bring  him  before  a  court, 
to  'produce  the  body,'  before  a  court,  as  the  term 

TT— 11 


178  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

means,  that  the  legality  of  his  detention  may  be 
inquired  into.  It  grew  out  of  early  attempts  to 
safeguard  personal  liberty,  and  runs  back  in 
common  English  law  nearly  to  the  Magna 
Charta. 

"Well,  finally  the  party  was  detained  by  the 
citizens  until  the  next  day,  when  the  master-of- 
chancery  arrived  with  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus  re- 
turnable before  the  Honorable  John  Caton,  of 
the  Ninth  Judicial  Circuit,  at  Ottawa,  LaSalle 
County,  and  the  writ  was  served  on  Reynolds 
and  Wilson.  To  add  to  the  legal  complications, 
Brother  Stephen  Markham  sued  out  a  writ 
against  Reynolds  and  Wilson  for  threatening  his 
life,  and  writ  was  taken  out  against  them  by 
Brother  Joseph,  this  time  from  the  circuit  court 
of  Lee  County,  for  private  damages  to  the  sum 
of  ten  thousand  dollars,  and  Reynolds  and  Wil- 
son were  placed  in  charge  of  the  sheriff  of  Lee 
County,  not  being  able  to  give  bonds. 

"The  party  then  started  on  towards  Ottawa, 
going  as  far  as  Paw  Paw  Grove,  about  thirty- 
two  miles.  Here  they  halted  and  quite  a  crowd 
gathered  in  the  room  where  Brother  Joseph  was 
lodged.  They  wished  him  to  speak,  but  Reynolds 
objected,  whereupon  some  of  the  bad  blood  that 
at  times  appears  between  States  was  manifested. 


Another  Fourth  of  July  179 

An  old  man  by  the  name  of  David  Town,  who  is 
lame  and  carries  a  heavy  walking  stick,  advanced 
upon  Reynolds,  and  said,  'Sit  down,  you  infernal 
Missouri  puke.  Don't  open  your  head  until  Mr. 
Smith  has  spoken.  If  you  never  learned  man- 
ners in  Missouri  we'll  teach  you  that  gentlemen 
are  not  to  be  imposed  upon  by  nigger  drivers. 
You  can't  kidnap  men  here.  We  have  a  com- 
mittee here  in  the  grove  that  may  sit  on  your 
case,  and  it  is  the  highest  tribunal  in  the  United 
States,  for  from  its  decision  there  is  no  appeal/ 
So  Brother  Joseph,  though  a  prisoner,  was  per- 
mitted to  preach  to  them. 

"At  Paw  Paw  Grove  they  learned  that  Judge 
Caton  was  absent  on  a  visit  to  New  York,  so  the 
party  doubled  back  to  Dixon.  The  writ  issued 
returnable  before  Judge  Caton  came  back  in- 
dorsed, 'Judge  absent,'  and  a  new  writ  was 
granted.  This  time  returnable  before  the  'near- 
est tribunal  in  the  Fifth  Judicial  District,  au- 
thorized to  hear  and  determine  writs  of  habeas 
corpus,'  and  the  sheriff  of  Lee  County  served  it 
on  Reynolds  and  Wilson. 

"To  cut  a  long  story  short,  they  determined  to 
start  for  Quincy,  and  go  before  Judge  Stephein 
A.  Douglas.  Accordingly  on  the  26th,  three  days 
after  the  trouble  began,  they  rode  about  forty 


180  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

miles  and  put  up  for  the  night.  The  next  day 
they  went  on,  taking  dinner  at  Geneseo.  A  little 
later  the  first  of  our  men  from  Nauvoo  met  them, 
the  expedition  having  been  divided  into  two  or 
three  companies.  The  party  moved  on  to  An- 
dover  and  put  up  for  the  night.  The  next  day 
the  party  moved  as  far  as  a  farmhouse  about  six 
miles  out  of  Monmouth.  During  the  night  Rey- 
nolds and  Wilson  arranged  with  the  son  of  the 
landlord  to  slip  away  to  Monmouth,  raise  a  mob, 
and  come  and  take  Joseph  by  force  and  convey 
him  to  the  Mississippi.  The  sheriff  of  Lee 
County  becoming  aware  of  the  plan,  ordered 
them  to  an  upper  room,  and  set  a  guard. 

"The  next  day  the  party  proceeded,  leaving 
Monmouth  on  the  left  and  Oquaka  on  the  right. 
It  was  then  learned,  on  consulting  legal  advice, 
that  the  Municipal  Court  of  Nauvoo  was  the 
nearest  court  competent  to  pass  upon  a  writ  of 
habeas  corpus,  and  much  to  the  chagrin  of  Rey- 
nolds and  Wilson  the  party  turned  its  steps  in 
that  direction.  That  night  was  spent  at  the  home 
of  Michael  Crane  on  Honey  Creek,  where 
Brother  Joseph  exhibited  to  us  his  sides  still 
black  and  blue  from  being  prodded  with  the  pis- 
tols of  Reynolds  and  Wilson,  and  this  morning 
the  whole  company,  now  quite  large,  because  of 


Another  Fourth  of  July  181 

the  addition  of  our  party,  started  for  Nauvoo  at 
eight  o'clock.  At  half  past  ten  we  stopped  at 
Big  Mound  and  decorated  the  bridles  of  our 
horses  with  the  flowers  of  the  prairies,  and  soon 
met  other  citizens  come  out  to  greet  us.  Brother 
Joseph  was  permitted  to  get  out  of  the  buggy 
and  mount  his  old  horse  Charley,  his  favorite 
riding  horse,  and  the  band  played,  and  we  had 
quite  a  triumphal  entry. 

"What  threatened  to  be  a  tragedy  became  a 
sort  of  comedy.  Reynolds  and  Wilson  had  been 
outwitted  at  the  game  of  writs,  and  their  show 
of  force  had  been  frustrated  by  the  citizens  of 
Dixon.  So  now  all  came  to  the  last  place  they 
had  thought  of  visiting,  Nauvoo.  Brother  Joseph 
was  the  prisoner  of  Reynolds  and  Wilson,  and 
they  in  turn  were  prisoners  of  the  sheriff  of  Lee 
County,  so  that  no  one  could  escape  The  case 
will  be  heard  before  the  municipal  court,  and  ap- 
peal may  be  taken  to  a  higher  tribunal,  so  justice 
will  not  be  thwarted." 

"Where  is  the  party  now?"  inquired  David. 

"Well,  just  now,  Brother  Joseph  and  his  fam- 
ily and  about  fifty  friends  are  at  dinner.  He 
invited  Reynolds  and  Wilson  to  dine  with  him, 
and  they  are  seated  at  the  head  of  the  table  and 
Sister  Emma  is  serving  them  with  the  best  she 


182  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

has  at  hand,  in  return  for  their  cruel  treatment 
when  they  refused  to  permit  her  to  say  good-by 
to  her  husband  at  Inlet.  I  think  they  are  sadder 
but  wiser  men.7 

"Hurrah  for  Brother  Joseph  and  Sister  Em- 
ma!" cried  David.  "That  is  the  idea — heap  coals 
of  fire  on  their  degenerate  heads.  If  they  have 
no  hearts — why,  appeal  to  their  stomachs." 

The  aged  grandmother  had  listened  with 
strained  attention  to  the  recital.  She  settled 
back  in  her  chair,  looking  more  frail  and  wax- 
like  than  ever,  her  sightless  eyes  turned  heaven- 
ward: "How  long,  O  Lord,  how  long  must  we 
be  hated  and  driven  and  murdered?"  she  whis- 
pered. "I  see  that  these  men  will  never  rest  until 
they  have  spilled  the  blood  of  the  Prophet  and 
driven  us  from  this  place  where  we  thought  to 
find  rest.  Is  there  no  peace  anywhere  for  the 
children  of  God?" 

They  tried  to  comfort  her,  and  at  last  she  took 
a  more  cheerful  view  of  the  situation. 

"I  am  glad  that  Brother  Joseph  was  returned 
to  freedom  by  legal  means  and  that  our  men  re- 
strained themselves  and  used  no  show  of  force," 
she  said.  "Some  of  our  men  are  so  quick  spoken 
and  positive  that  I  feared  great  trouble.  When 
Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith,  and  Lyman  Wight, 


Another  Fourth  of  July  183 

and  Sidney  Rigdon,  and  others  were  taken  pris- 
oners in  Missouri  by  Generals  Lucas  and  Wil- 
son, General  Wilson  took  Brother  Wight  to  one 
side  and  said  to  him,  'Wight,  I  believe  you  to  be 
an  honest  and  brave  man.  If  you  will  turn 
state's  evidence  and  swear  to  what  you  know 
about  Joe  Smith  we  will  spare  your  life.'  Brother 
Lyman  replied,  'Very  well.  I  will  testify  that  so 
far  as  I  am  acquainted  with  Joseph  Smith  I  know 
no  one  more  honest  or  more  philanthropic,  hav- 
ing a  greater  zeal  and  love  for  his  country  and  its 
laws,  or  one  who  would  strive  more  for  the  peace 
and  happiness  of  mankind  than  Joseph  Smith/ 
The  general  then  began  to  swear  and  said,  'If 
you  testify  in  that  way  you  will  be  shot  with  the 
others.' 

"I  do  not  think  Brother  Wight  should  have 
replied  just  as  he  did,  but  he  was  a  man  who 
feared  nothing  on  earth,  and  it  was  a  time  that 
tried  men's  souls." 

"How  did  he  reply?"  asked  John,  curiously. 

"He  said,  'Shoot,  and  be  damned!'  " 

John  laughed.  "I  would  not  call  that  an  oath," 
he  said,  grimly.  "I  would  call  it  a  prophecy.  He 
evidently  felt  sure  under  the  circumstances  that 
if  they  did  shoot  they  would  be  damned." 

The  grandmother  went  on :  "Those  men,  seven 


184  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

in  number,  were  all  tried  by  court  martial  with- 
out any  opportunity  for  proper  defense,  and 
were  sentenced  to  be  shot  at  the  public  square,  at 
Far  West,  at  the  very  spot  where  the  Saints  had 
planned  to  build  a  temple. 

"The  order  to  General  Doniphan  read,  'You 
will  take  Joseph  Smith  and  the  other  prisoners 
into  the  public  square  of  Far  West,  and  shoot 
them  at  nine  o'clock  to-morrow  morning.' 

"But  General  Doniphan,  may  the  Lord  re- 
ward him,  was  a  brave  and  true  man.  He  re- 
plied, 'It  is  cold-blooded  murder.  I  will  not  obey 
your  order.  My  brigade  shall  march  for  Liberty 
to-morrow  morning,  at  eight  o'clock;  and  if  you 
execute  those  men,  I  will  hold  you  responsible 
before  an  earthly  tribunal,  so  help  me  God!' 

"General  Doniphan's  action  was  all  that  saved 
them.  He  was  a  brave  man,  and  ran  the  risk 
himself  of  court  martial.  But  we  all  felt  that 
Providence  had  used  him  to  intervene  in  our  be- 
half. The  order  was  never  executed,  for  they 
must  have  feared  his  threat.  They  knew  that 
he  was  right  and  they  wrong." 

"Thus  does  conscience  make  cowards  of  us 
all,"  quoted  David.  "They  were  afraid  because 
they  were  in  the  wrong.  But  you  cannot  blame 


Another  Fourth  of  July  185 

Brother  Joseph  for  refusing  to  be  dragged  into 
Missouri  again. " 

The  attempt  to  kidnap  Joseph  Smith  created 
great  excitement  in  all  parts  of  Illinois,  but  par- 
ticularly so  in  Nauvoo,  as  was  quite  natural. 
With  no  rapid  means  of  conveying  news,  as  we 
now  have  in  the  telephone  system,  the  city  was 
left  long  in  doubt  and  anxiety,  and  different  ex- 
peditions sent  in  search  of  the  prophet  scoured 
the  country  far  and  near.  One  expedition  had 
gone  out  on  the  MM  of  Iowa  down  the  Missis- 
sippi River  to  the  Illinois  River  and  up  the  Illi- 
nois River  as  far  as  Peru,  LaSalle  County,  hav- 
ing heard  that  an  armed  force  from  Saint  Louis 
had  gone  up  that  river  on  the  Chicago  Belle  with 
the  intent  to  seize  Joseph  Smith  and  make  way 
with  him. 

They  passed  the  Chicago  Belle  hard  aground 
in  an  island  chute  just  above  Pekin,  and  went 
on  their  way  as  far  as  Peru.  They  did  not  get 
back  to  Nauvoo  until  Sunday,  July  2,  two  days 
after  the  safe  return  of  Joseph  Smith. 

Last  of  all,  on  the  third,  about  noon  came 
trailing  in  a  company  of  men  under  Charles  C. 
Rich.  With  them  was  French  La  Barron,  who 
immediately  sought  out  his  friend,  John  Noble- 
man, to  recount  his  adventures. 


186  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

The  little  French  Canadian  was  as  joyous  as 
ever,  his  round  face  fairly  beaming.  His  account 
greatly  amused  David  and  Mildred,  and  added 
a  touch  of  the  ridiculous  to  the  incident. 

"We  go  from  de  main  body  Monday  mornin' 
at  McQueen  Mills,"  he  said,  "all  on  horseback, 
wit*  de  one  baggage  wagon  an'  de  instructions  to 
prozeed  to  Peoria,  and  so  on  to  Ottawa.  We 
travel  all  de  first  day  until  de  next  mornin'  at 
t'red  o'clock  when  we  mak'  de  camp.  But  all  early 
at  sunrise  we  were  gone  again,  all  day  an'  mos'  of 
de  night,  mos'ly  wit'out  de  road  of  any  kin'.  We 
camp  again,  an'  so  on,  t'rough  a  little  village,  so 
small,  where  ev'y  one  gape  an'  stare  an'  run  after 
us  wit'  many  questions.  Till  at  de  last  Doctor 
Ells,  who  was  behin',  an'  carry  de  so  long  face, 
lak  de  horse,  an'  look  so  ver'  pious,  turn  an'  spik 
to  all  those  who  ask  de  question,  'We  all  go  hunt 
de  nest  of  de  wheelbarrow.' ' 

David  and  Mildred  laughed  until  tears  came 
into  their  eyes,  for  they  could  picture  the  solemn- 
faced  Doctor  Ells  drawling  out  this  ridiculous 
answer  to  the  mystified  villagers,  so  disturbed  by 
the  passage  of  a  company  of  mounted  men.  Thus 
encouraged  and  with  a  broad  grin  on  his  face, 
French  La  Barron  continued  his  story  to  the  end. 

Really  it  had  been  no  laughing  matter.  These 


Another  Fourth  of  July  187 

men  had  traveled  five  hundred  miles,  almost  with- 
out sleep,  and  without  change  of  horses,  during 
a  period  of  excessive  heat.  They  had  reached 
Ottawa  before  turning  back.  Yet  they  came 
back  laughing  and  rejoicing,  and  having  com- 
posed a  new  song  en  route,  they  gathered  in  front 
of  Joseph's  home  on  their  arrival  and  sang  it  for 
his  edification. 

The  municipal  court  discharged  Joseph  Smith 
from  custody  and  a  complete  copy  of  all  proceed- 
ings was  forwarded  to  Governor  Ford.  That 
official  later  denied  the  request  of  Reynolds  and 
Wilson  for  state  troops  to  take  Joseph  Smith 
from  Nauvoo,  and  decided  that  the  proceedings 
connected  with  his  release  had  been  entirely  legal. 


In  such  an  atmosphere  Independence  Day 
dawned  upon  Nauvoo  in  1843.  At  its  close,  in 
the  gloaming  of  the  evening  came  David  and 
Mildred  to  report  the  day  to  their  Grandmother 
Nobleman,  as  was  their  custom. 

"It  has  been  a  wonderful,  wonderful  day," 
cried  Mildred,  throwing  her  arms  about  the  neck 
of  the  white-haired  grandmother.  "You  should 
have  seen  John,  so  tall  and  big  and  grand,  riding 
in  the  procession  on  Thunderbolt." 


188  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

"Where  were  the  meetings  held?"  asked  the 
grandmother. 

"In  the  grove.  It  was  estimated  as  early  as 
eleven  o'clock  that  nearly  thirteen  thousand  per- 
sons had  assembled." 

"I  think,"  said  David,  "that  the  estimate  may 
be  too  high.  We  are  always  inclined  to  overesti- 
mate a  crowd;  but  there  was  certainly  a  tremen- 
dous gathering.  There  must  have  been  at  least 
ten  thousand  at  that  hour,  and  three  steamers 
came  in  the  afternoon,  one  from  Saint  Louis,  one 
from  Quincy,  and  one  from  Burlington,  bringing 
eight  or  nine  hundred  more  people  with  them." 

"It  was  grand  to  see  them  come  in,"  broke  in 
Mildred  again,  taking  up  the  thread  of  her  story. 
"As  each  boat  came  in,  the  band  met  it  and  con- 
ducted the  passengers  to  the  grove,  where  they 
were  saluted  by  cannon  and  were  located  in  sec- 
tions provided  for  them." 

"Elder  Orson  Hyde  spoke  at  eleven  o'clock 
and  a  collection  was  taken  up  to  help  him  build  a 
house,  so  that  he  may  be  free  to  go  on  his  pro- 
posed mission  to  Saint  Petersburg.  And  in  the 
afternoon  Elder  Parley  Pratt  spoke,  and  after- 
ward Brother  Joseph  made  a  few  remarks,  deal- 
ing with  his  late  experiences." 

"What  did  Brother  Joseph  say?" 


Another  Fourth  of  July  189 

"I  can  give  you  a  part  of  what  he  said,"  replied 
David,  "for  I  wrote  it  down  while  he  was  talk- 
ing." 

Taking  some  notes  from  his  pocket  he  read : 

"If  the  people  will  give  ear  a  moment,  I  will 
address  them  with  a  few  words  in  my  own  defense 
in  relation  to  my  arrest.  In  the  first  place,  I  will 
state  to  those  that  can  hear  me  that  I  never  spent 
more  than  six  months  in  Missouri,  except  while 
in  prison.  While  I  was  there,  I  was  at  work  for 
the  support  of  my  family.  I  never  was  a  pris- 
oner of  war  during  my  stay,  for  I  had  nothing  to 
do  with  war.  I  never  took  up  a  pistol,  gun,  or 
sword:  and  the  most  that  has  been  said  on  this 
subject  is  false. 

"I  have  been  willing  to  go  before  any  gov- 
ernor, judge,  or  tribunal  where  justice  would  be 
done,  and  have  the  subject  investigated.  I  could 
not  have  committed  treason  in  that  State  while  I 
resided  there,  for  treason  in  Missouri  consists  in 
levying  war  against  the  State  or  adhering  to  her 
enemies.  Missouri  was  at  peace,  and  had  no 
enemy  that  I  could  adhere  to,  had  I  been  dis- 
posed; and  I  did  not  make  war,  as  I  had  no  com- 
mand or  authority,  either  civil  or  military,  but 
only  in  spiritual  matters,  as  a  minister  of  the 
gospel. 


190  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

"This  people  was  driven  from  that  State  by 
force  of  arms,  under  the  exterminating  order  of 
Governor  Boggs.  I  have  never  committed 
treason.  The  people  know  very  well  I  have  been 
a  peaceable  citizen;  but  there  has  been  a  great 
hue  and  cry  about  Governor  Boggs  being  shot. 
No  crime  can  be  done  but  it  is  laid  to  me.  Here 
I  was  again  dragged  to  the  United  States  Court 
and  acquitted  on  the  merits  of  the  case,  and  now 
it  comes  again.  But  as  often  as  God  sees  fit  for 
me  to  suffer,  I  am  ready;  but  I  am  as  innocent 
of  crime  alleged  against  me  as  the  angels  in 
heaven.  I  am  not  an  enemy  to  mankind ;  I  am  a 
friend  to  mankind.  I  am  not  an  enemy  to  Mis- 
souri, nor  to  any  governor  or  people. 

"As  to  the  military  station  I  hold,  the  cause 
of  my  holding  it  is  as  follows:  When  we  came 
here  the  State  required  us  to  bear  arms  and  do 
military  duty  according  to  law ;  and  as  the  church 
had  just  been  driven  from  the  State  of  Missouri, 
and  robbed  of  all  their  property  and  arms,  they 
were  poor  and  destitute  of  arms.  They  were 
liable  to  be  fined  for  not  doing  duty  when  they 
had  not  arms  to  do  it  with.  They  came  to  me  for 
advice,  and  I  advised  them  to  organize  them- 
selves into  independent  companies  and  demand 
arms  of  the  State.  This  they  did. 


Another  Fourth  of  July  191 

"Again:  There  were  many  elders  having 
license  to  preach,  which  by  law  exonerated  them 
from  military  duty;  but  the  officers  would  not 
release  them  on  this  ground.  I  then  told  the 
Saints  that  though  I  was  clear  from  military 
duty  by  law,  in  consequence  of  lameness  in  one 
of  my  legs,  yet  I  would  set  the  example  and 
would  do  duty  myself.  They  then  said  they  were 
willing  to  do  duty,  if  they  could  be  formed  into 
an  independent  company,  and  I  could  be  at  their 
head.  This  is  the  origin  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion 
and  of  my  holding  the  office  of  lieutenant-gen- 
eral. 

"All  the  power  that  I  desire  or  have  sought  to 
obtain  has  been  the  enjoyment  of  the  constitu- 
tional privilege  for  which  my  fathers  shed  their 
blood,  of  living  in  peace  in  the  society  of  my  wife 
and  children,  and  enjoying  the  society  of  my 
friends  and  that  religious  liberty  which  is  the 
right  of  every  American  citizen,  of  worshiping 
according  to  the  dictates  of  his  conscience  and 
the  revelations  of  God. 

"With  regard  to  elections,  some  say  all  the 
Latter  Day  Saints  vote  together,  and  vote  as  I 
say.  But  I  never  tell  any  man  how  to  vote  or 
whom  to  vote  for.  But  I  will  show  you  how  we 
have  been  situated  by  bringing  a  comparison. 


192  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Should  there  be  a  Methodist  society  here,  and 
two  candidates  running  for  office,  one  says,  'If 
you  will  vote  for  me  and  put  me  in  governor,  I 
will  exterminate  the  Methodists,  take  away  their 
charters/  etc.  The  other  candidate  says,  'If  I 
am  governor,  I  will  give  all  an  equal  privilege/ 
Which  would  the  Methodist  vote  for?  Of  course 
they  would  vote  en  masse  for  the  candidate  that 
would  give  them  their  rights." 

The  day  had  been  pleasant,  the  weather  fine, 
and  nothing  had  disturbed  the  peace  of  Nauvoo 
for  the  time  being.  But  the  Saints  little  dreamed 
that  this  was  to  be  the  last  peaceful  and  happy 
Fourth  of  July  that  they  would  celebrate  in  Nau- 
voo. 

The  next  two  weeks  were  busy  and  happy 
weeks  for  the  Nobleman  family.  John  and  David 
helped  in  the  work  of  hauling  the  lumber  from 
the  raft  to  the  hill  where  it  was  to  be  used  in  the 
temple.  Their  evenings  were  spent  in  excursions 
to  Prince  David's  Chamber,  or  in  loitering  at 
David's  Lookout.  But  the  summer  was  hot  and 
dry,  with  never  a  drop  of  rain,  so  that  their  ex- 
cursions were  somewhat  marred,  and  the  wild 
flower  garden  languished. 

Often,  too,  they  rowed  upon  the  river  in  the 
evening,  enjoying  the  wonderful  moonlight  as  it 


Another  Fourth  of  July  193 

flooded  the  wide  and  wild  expanse  of  waters,  or 
admiring  the  dim  outlines  of  the  temple,  begin- 
ning to  take  form  on  the  great  hill. 

But  at  last  these  happy  days  came  to  an  end, 
and  on  the  twenty-first  day  of  July  John  Noble- 
man again  took  his  departure  for  the  Wisconsin 
pinery,  this  time  going  on  board  the  Maid  of 
Iowa,,  with  Bishop  Miller,  Lyman  Wight,  and  a 
large  company  with  their  families. 


TT— 12 


194  Timbers  for  the  Temple 


Chapter  Fourteen 

LETTERS  FROM  NAUVOO 

September  28,  1843. — Bishop  George  Miller  returned  from  the 
pinery.  He  reported  the  water  in  the  Black  River  so  low  that 
they  could  not  get  their  raft  into  the  Mississippi. 

November  23,  1843. — Met  in  council  in  the  old  house;  then 
walked  down  to  the  river  to  look  at  the  stream,  rocks,  etc.,  about 
half  past  eleven  a.  m.  Suggested  the  idea  of  petitioning  Congress 
for  a  grant  to  make  a  canal  over  the  falls,  or  a  dam  to  turn  the 
water  to  the  city,  so  that  we  might  erect  mills  and  other  machinery. 

December  81,  1848. — At  early  candle  light,  went  to  prayer  meet- 
ing; administered  the  sacrament;  after  which  I  retired.  At  mid- 
night, about  fifty  musicians  and  singers  sang  Phelps's  New  Year's 
Hymn  under  my  window. 

February  20,  1844- — At  ten  a.  m.  went  to  my  office,  where  the 
Twelve  Apostles  and  some  others  met  in  council  with  Brothers 
Mitchell  and  Stephen  Curtis,  who  Uft  the  pinery  on  the  Black 
River,  January  1. 

March  8,  1844. — Very  heavy  rain  all  night,  accompanied  by 
thunder.  Bishop  Miller  arrived  from  the  pinery. — Joseph  Smith's 
Diary. 

On  the  right  hand,  as  we  entered  the  house,  was  a  small  and 
very  comfortless-looking  barroom;  all  the  more  comfortless,  per- 
chance, from  its  being  a  dry  barroom,  as  no  spirituous  liquors  were 
permitted  at  Nauvoo.  .  .  . 

The  clouds  had  parted  when  we  emerged  from  the  chamber  .  .  . 
and  there  was  time  to  see  the  temple  before  dinner.  General 
Smith  orderd  a  capacious  carriage,  and  we  drove  to  that  beautiful 
eminence,  bounded  on  three  sides  by  the  Mississippi,  which  was 
covered  by  the  holy  city  of  Nauvoo.  The  curve  in  the  river  in- 
closed a  position  lovely  enough  to  furnish  a  site  for  the  Utopian 
communities  of  Plato  or  Sir  Thomas  More,  and  here  was  an 


Letters  From  Nauvoo  195 

orderly  city,  magnificently  laid  out,  and  teeming  with  activity  and 
enterprise. — From  Figures  of  the  Past,  by  Josiah  Quincy,  who 
visited  Nauvoo  April  25,  1844. 


r  •  ^iHE  course  of  events  in  Nauvoo  is  boldly 
sketched  in  a  letter  from  David  to  John 
Nobleman,  dated  March  10,  1844: 

"Dearest  Brother  John:  Bishop  Miller  ar- 
rived from  the  pinery  day  before  yesterday, 
bringing  letters  and  packages  from  you.  We 
were  much  interested  in  the  beaded  moccasins 
that  you  sent  and  in  the  buckskin  coats,  the 
blankets,  and  the  furs.  Bishop  Miller  visited  us 
and  gave  us  many  interesting  items  concerning 
you  and  the  life  in  the  pine  woods.  We  could 
still  smell  the  breath  of  the  forests  on  his  person. 
He  says  that  Brother  Wight  estimates  that  you 
can  deliver  nearly  one  million  feet  of  lumber  in 
Nauvoo  by  the  last  of  next  July.  How  hard  you 
must  have  worked.  That  will  be  enough  to  build 
both  the  Nauvoo  House  and  the  temple.  All 
efforts  now,  however,  will  be  to  complete  the 
temple.  The  Nauvoo  House  must  wait  its  turn. 

"Having  read  your  letters  we  must  needs  get 
out  the  ones  received  September  23  last,  when 
Bishop  Miller  arrived  on  his  former  trip  down 
the  river.  And  having  finished  those  we  turned 
for  comfort  to  the  packet  received  the  20th  of 


196  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

February  when  Mitchell  and  Stephen  Curtis 
came  down. 

"Then  when  we  had  finished  them  all,  every- 
one was  perfectly  silent  for  a  long  time,  until  Mil- 
dred heaved  a  big  sigh  that  sounded  so  tragie 
that  we  all  laughed  rather  hysterically.  Of  course 
she  blushed  rosy  red,  because  the  sigh  had  sur- 
prised her  as  much  as  any  of  us,  though  it  some 
way  expressed  the  feeling  of  the  whole  family. 
Then  we  all  fell  to  talking  at  once,  even  grand- 
mother, who  is  whiter  and  more  waxlike  than 
ever. 

"Well,  for  the  news.  Did  we  write  you  that 
we  have  a  young  men's  debating  society?  Well, 
we  have.  Organized  last  November,  the  23d. 
Memorable  day.  For  who  knows  how  many 
Socrateses  and  Demostheneses  and  Ciceroses  or 
Patrick  Henry's  may  come  out  of  it.  We  meet 
regularly  to  discuss  various  topics — religions, 
politics,  agriculture,  history,  current  events,  what 
not.  Some  wonderful  themes  are  discussed,  I 
assure  you,  and  some  remarkable  views  aired. 
'Twould  make  you  laugh  no  doubt  to  hear  us 
callow  youths  state  our  mature  views  with  all  the 
conviction  of  inexperience. 

"But  truly  it  is  doing  us  good.  It  trains  us  to 
think  on  our  feet,  and  to  express  ourselves.  Prob- 


Letters  From  Nauvoo  197 

ably  no  one  of  us  will  ever  set  the  world  afire, 
which  is  fortunate,  because  we  might  not  know 
enough  to  put  it  out  again,  but  at  least  we  will 
acquire  some  confidence  in  ourselves,  and  will 
learn  some  things,  as  we  have  to  study,  I  assure 
you,  to  defend  ourselves,  for  we  have  some  mem- 
bers who  are  as  sharp  as  tacks  and  as  quick  as 
lightning. 

"Yes,  and  we  have  city  police.  Forty  of  them 
were  sworn  in  on  the  29th  of  December  last,  with 
Captain  Jonathan  Dunham  as  high  policeman 
and  Charles  Rich  and  Hosea  Stout  as  first  and 
second  lieutenants.  That  same  day,  Joseph 
Smith  as  mayor,  gave  them  their  charge.  Among 
other  things  he  said:  Territ  out  all  grogshops, 
gambling  houses,  brothels,  and  disorderly  con- 
duct.' 

"You  see  some  of  the  scum  of  the  earth  is 
gathered  up  in  the  whirlpool,  and  lodges  here  in 
Nauvoo.  But  it  must  be  put  down. 

"Some  might  think  that  because  this  is  a  city 
of  the  Saints,  only  Saints  should  be  found  here. 
But  light  a  candle  and  every  moth  under  heaven 
is  drawn  by  its  rays.  Some  of  the  most  rattle- 
brained creatures  in  all  the  realms  of  lunacy  are 
attracted  here ;  and  some  of  the  most  wicked  men 
on  earth  come  here  to  ply  their  trades  in  alcohol, 


198  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

gambling,  thieving,  and  even  murder,  and  the 
church  gets  the  blame  for  it,  though  all  her  teach- 
ings are  honest  and  virtuous  and  temperate.  And 
we  are  blamed,  too,  for  every  desperate  and  evil 
deed  done  by  men  anywhere  in  the  regions  round- 
about. Not  a  horse  can  be  stolen  between  here 
and  Timbuctoo  but  it  is  blamed  to  Joseph  Smith. 
"But  enough  of  this.  As  was  wisely  observed 
at  our  debating  society  last  week,  'Reputation  is 
what  people  think  of  us ;  but  character  is  what  we 
are.'  If  we  do  our  duty  and  live  our  religion  we 
need  not  worry  overmuch  when  all  manner  of 
evil  is  said  against  us  falsely — in  fact,  I  believe, 
come  to  think  of  it,  Jesus  said  that  we  should  re- 
joice under  those  conditions,  for  so  we  become 
in  a  way,  partners  with  him.  That  was  his  lot. 
He,  too,  was  called  a  glutton  and  a  winebibber. 

"The  new  year  began  with  us  very  happily, 
though  we  missed  you  very  much.  Sunday  night, 
the  very  last  day  of  the  year,  prayer  service  was 
held,  and  Brother  Joseph  administered  the  sac- 
rament. We  had  a  very  pleasant  yet  solemn 
meeting  and  thought  it  a  fine  way  to  close  the 
year.  After  the  meeting  Brother  Joseph  went 
home  and  went  to  bed.  But  about  midnight  fifty 
of  us  gathered  under  his  window  and  serenaded 
him.  We  sang  Brother  Phelps's  New  Year's 


Letters  From  Nauvoo  199 

hymn.  It  was  very  impressive,  down  there  by 
the  river,  at  midnight,  of  the  New  Year.  The 
night  was  warm,  with  occasional  rain. 

"Brother  Joseph,  you  know,  is  now  living  in 
the  *  Mansion  House,'  as  it  is  called,  where  he  has 
been  with  his  family  since  last  September  or  some 
time  thereabout.  The  Mansion  House  is  run 
as  a  sort  of  lodging  house,  in  order  that  visitors 
from  abroad,  of  whom  there  are  many,  and  most 
of  whom  wish  to  inquire  about  our  work,  may  be 
properly  housed  and  cared  for  and  receive  a 
decent  and  truthful  account  of  our  belief  and  ac- 
tivities. It  is  one  of  the  few  taverns  all  up  and 
down  the  river  where  no  intoxicating  liquors  are 
allowed. 

"You  will  be  interested  in  the  temple.  When 
the  autumn  frosts  set  in  we  had  made  good  prog- 
ress. The  walls  are  now  above  the  windows  of 
the  first  story,  and  some  of  the  circular  windows 
are  laid.  It  is  hoped  that  the  walls  may  be  com- 
pleted and  the  roof  put  on  another  summer. 
Many  are  careless,  but  on  the  other  hand  many 
are  very  zealous.  Hundreds  of  the  sisters  have 
banded  together  and  pay  a  penny  a  week  to  help 
buy  the  nails  and  glass.  It  is  all  some  of  them 
can  do,  but  if  thousands  are  induced  to  do  like- 
wise it  will  make  no  inconsiderable  sum. 


200  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

"God  has  said  that  he  will  give  us  ample  time 
to  complete  this  temple.  It  is  a  sort  of  test;  if 
we  are  careless  and  slothful,  and  do  not  prosecute 
the  work,  we  can  only  expect  to  be  chastized,  per- 
haps driven  and  scattered  again. 

"Many  practical  as  well  as  spiritual  things 
engage  our  attention.  Brother  Joseph  has  sug- 
gested a  dam  across  a  part  of  the  river,  to  the 
island,  to  develop  power  for  factories  and  mills, 
and  a  canal  around  the  rapids  to  Keokuk  to  ac- 
commodate river  traffic. 

"Also  meetings  are  to  be  called  for  the  pur- 
pose of  organizing  cooperative  stores  and  indus- 
tries, so  as  to  give  more  employment  to  our  own 
mechanics,  and  bring  the  comforts  and  necessities 
of  life  within  the  reach  of  all  at  reasonable  cost. 
Our  ambition  is  to  build  a  city  where  equality  and 
justice  shall  prevail;  one  like  the  city  of  Enoch, 
where  there  shall  be  no  rich  and  no  poor,  but 
where  every  man  who  is  willing  to  work  may 
receive  according  to  his  real  needs  and  just 
wants,  and  where  the  poor  and  helpless  will  be 
cared  for. 

"We  may  fail  now,  but  sometime  the  church 
will  realize  that  ideal.  Pray  God  that  Jt  may  be 
our  lot  to  succeed. 

"To-day  is  Sunday.     There  was  a  frost  last 


THE  "MANSION  HOUSE 


August  31,  1843. — "I  commenced  removing  into  the  Nau- 
voo  Mansion." — Joseph  Smith's  Diary. 


Letters  From  Nauvoo  201 

night,  but  to-day  it  is  clear  and  beautiful,  with  a 
south  wind  blowing.  Morning  meeting  was  held 
at  the  stand  in  the  open  air,  near  the  temple,  and 
Brother  Joseph  preached  on  the  work  of  Elijah. 
"In  the  afternoon  the  Presidency,  Twelve, 
Bishop  Miller,  and  the  temple  committee  met 
in  council  at  the  Mansion  House.  It  is  reported 
that  a  communication  from  Lyman  Wight  and 
others  who  are  with  you  in  the  pine  country  was 
read.  Probably  most  of  the  things  in  it  are 
known  to  you,  but  not  to  me,  excepting  that  it 
is  said  that  they  want  advice  about  preaching  the 
gospel  to  the  Indians. 

"At  the  service  to-day  the  choir  and  all  the 
congregation  sang  the  hymn,  'Israel  is  free' : 

"Israel,  awake  from  thy  long,  silent  slumber, 

Shake,  off  the  fetters  that  bound  thee  so  long; 
Chains  of  oppression;  we'll  break  them  asunder, 
And  join  with  the  ransomed  in  victory's  song! 
Arise!  for  the  time  has  come, 
Israel  must  gather  home, 

High  on  the  mountains  the  Ensign  we  see; 
Fall'n  is  the  Gentile  pow'r, 
Soon  will  its  reign  be  o'er, 
Tyrants  must  rule  no  more, 
Israel  is  free! 

"Tremble,  ye  nations  of  Gentiles,  for  yonder 

The  hosts  of  the  despot  in  battle  array, 
With  engines  of  war  shake  the  earth  with  their  thunder — 
The  bright  sword  is  drawn  and  the  sheath  thrown  away; 


202  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Sound  the  alarm  of  war, 
Through  nations  near  and  far, 

Let  its  dread  tones  be  heard  o'er  land  and  sea; 
Zion  shall  dwell  in  peace, 
Israel  will  still  increase, 
Liberty  ne'er  shall  cease, 

Israel  is  free ! 

"Hail  to  the  land  of  the  mountain  and  prairie, 

Gather  to  Zion's  fair  home  in  the  west; 
Free  are  her  sons  as  the  breeze  round  the  aerie — 
Birthplace  of  prophets  and  home  of  the  blest. 
There  will  the  Saints  be  one, 
Thither  we'll  gather  home, 

Zion,  thy  beauties  we're  yearning  to  see; 
Saints  raise  the  heav'nly  song, 
Join  with  the  ransomed  throng, 
Angels  the  notes  prolong, 
Israel  is  free! 

"My,  what  a  thrill  went  through  my  being  to 
the  swing  and  majesty  of  that  typical  hymn  of 
the  latter  days:  'Israel,  awake  from  thy  long, 
silent  slumber/ 

"And  then  imagery  of  the  wars  that  are  to 
come  on  the  earth : 

"When  the  engines  of  war  shake  the  earth  with  their  thunder — 
The  bright  sword  is  drawn  and  the  sheath  thrown  away." 

"Surely  the  Spirit  testifies  that  great  wars 
shall  come  upon  the  earth  in  the  last  days,  and 
war  shall  even  be  poured  out  upon  our  own 
nation.  It  is  well  known  that  so  long  ago  as  '32 


Letters  From  Nauvoo  203 

Brother  Joseph  prophesied  that  war  should  come 
upon  this  land,  beginning  at  South  Carolina,  and 
that  the  Southern  States  should  be  divided 
against  the  Northern  States  and  that  many  souls 
should  perish  and  that  afterward  war  should  be 
poured  out  upon  all  nations.  Possibly  you  and 
I  shall  live  to  see  some  of  these  things. 

"There  is  romance,  religion,  the  spirit  of 
poetry  in  the  air.  At  times  I  can  feel  it — breathe 
it.  Fate  has  thrown  us  among  strange  scenes. 
How  humdrum  other  lives  appear  by  compari- 
son. Here  we  live  in  a  wonder  city  created  al- 
most over  night,  a  city  of  ideals,  a  city  of  Saints 
drawn  suddenly  together  from  the  very  ends  of 
the  earth,  yet  all  knit  in  one  common  belief.  A 
city  where  prophets  commune  with  Jehovah.  A 
city  where  men  'hazard  their  lives  for  Christ  Je- 
sus,' as  Paul  said  of  old.  A  city  around  whose 
borders  cruel  enemies  rage.  A  city  where  mar- 
tyrs build  their  characters  and  harden  their  fiber 
to  resist  the  terrors  of  death. 

"Wonderful  city,  so  lovely  under  the  silvery 
moon,  held  so  lovingly  in  the  great  arm  of  the 
Mississippi;  a  city  so  beautiful  under  the  noon- 
day sun.  A  city  where  men  build  temples  as 
Solomon  did  of  old,  obedient  to  the  command- 
ments of  God.  My  heart  leaps  within  me.  My 


204  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

spirit  exults,  that  I  am  permitted  to  live  in  such 
a  city  at  such  a  time,  and  to  be  part  and  parcel  of 
such  a  people.  The  world  may  say  what  it 
pleases  of  them,  but  you  and  I  know  how  true 
and  honest  and  sincere  they  are.  Pray  God  that 
designing  leaders  may  never  lead  them  into 
iniquity.  Yet  sometimes  I  feel  that  such  a  time 
may  come. 

"To-night  Mildred  and  I  went  to  David's 
Lookout  and  watched  the  sunset.  There  was 
such  a  wonderful  display  of  colors,  orange,  old 
gold,  violet,  purple.  Flanking  the  sunset  was  a 
line  of  dark  clouds  of  fantastic  shapes  from  which 
we  could  select  animals  and  wonderful  creatures 
of  unearthly  shapes  to  suit  our  fancy. 

"A  caravan  of  camels,  for  instance,  filed  past 
over  a  yellow  desert  and  disappeared  under  palm 
trees.  A  wonderful  city  with  golden  domes  grew 
up  in  a  few  moments  and  then  faded  away.  And 
then  finally  came  a  great  black  monster  such  as 
John  might  have  seen,  one  with  diverse  heads  and 
many  horns,  and  with  one  of  his  huge  mouths  he 
swallowed  up  the  blood-red  sun  and  sank  below 
the  horizon.  Shall  we  ever  see  the  sun  again? 

"So  Mildred  and  I  ran  home  and  lighted  the 
early  candles  for  grandmother,  and  now  Mildred 
is  reading  to  her  and  to  Grandfather  Nobleman 


Letters  From  Nauvoo  205 

while  I  write.  Mildred  is  the  best  and  loveliest 
girl  in  the  world.  Mildred — but  then  you  do  not 
like  a  tune  on  one  chord,  so  I  forbear." 


A  later  letter  written,  dated  June  23 : 

"Dear  Brother  John:  I  am  writing  this  very 
late  at  night.  Alarming  events  have  occurred  in 
Nauvoo  of  late.  Added  to  the  constantly  increas- 
ing threat  of  mob  violence  from  Warsaw,  Car- 
thage, and  other  points,  we  are  even  more 
alarmed  by  defections  within  the  city,  for  it  seems 
that  we  have  harbored  some  traitors,  and,  alas, 
the  discovery  of  their  treachery  has  so  stirred  our 
people  that  measures  possibly  too  drastic  have 
been  adopted,  and  the  traitors  thereby  have  been 
given  an  added  power  to  appeal  to  the  wrath  of 
the  mobs  while  the  mobs  have  been  given  a  new 
pretext  to  justify  their  violence. 

"Among  those  who  have  turned  against  us 
within  the  city  are  Robert  Foster  and  William 
and  Wilson  Law,  who  were  expelled  from  the 
church  for  unchristianlike  conduct  last  April,  and 
Francis  M.  Higbee  and  a  few  others  expelled 
about  the  middle  of  March. 

"It  seems  that  these  men  had  become  sour  and 
disgruntled  for  various  reasons,  among  others 


206  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

disappointment  in  certain  commercial  ventures 
they  have  indulged  in.  All  the  time  they  were  se- 
cretly plotting  the  ruin  of  the  Saints.  Their  ex- 
posure and  expulsion  but  added  to  their  fury, 
and  on  the  seventh  day  of  this  month  they  came 
out  with  the  first  issue  of  a  paper  called  the  Nau- 
voo  Expositor. 

"This  paper  was  filled  with  the  most  vile,  slan- 
derous, and  scurrilous  stories  imaginable,  calcu- 
lated in  nature  to  inflame  the  whole  surrounding 
country  and  bring  the  mob  upon  us  at  once. 

"The  city  council  met  to  consider  the  case. 
They  were  not  willing  to  sit  by  and  allow  such 
work  to  continue.  It  seemed  sufficient  to  them 
that  they  should  be  threatened  from  without,  and 
this  danger  from  within  they  determined  to  re- 
move. By  formal  vote  they  declared  the  paper  a 
public  nuisance  and  ordered  the  mayor  to  have 
the  paper  and  establishment  removed. 

"Accordingly  the  mayor,  Joseph  Smith,  issued 
an  order  to  the  marshal,  John  P.  Green,  who 
with  a  posse  went  to  the  office  and  destroyed  the 
type,  press,  and  fixtures. 

"Francis  M.  Higbee  immediately  posted  away 
to  Carthage  and  caused  the  arrest  of  Joseph  and 
Hyrum  Smith  and  some  fifteen  others  on  a 
charge  of  riot.  They  were  tried  before  the  munic- 


Letters  From  Nauvoo  207 

ipal  court  and  discharged.  Subsequently  those 
arrested  submitted  to  rearrest,  on  the  advice  of 
Judge  Thomas,  and  were  tried  again  before 
Daniel  H.  Wells,  justice  of  the  peace,  not  a 
member  of  the  church,  as  you  know.  They  were 
again  acquitted. 

"On  the  fourteenth  Brother  Joseph  made  a 
full  report  of  the  entire  matter  and  offered  to 
appear  before  any  legal  tribunal  at  the  State  cap- 
ital, providing  the  governor  had  any  doubts  of 
the  legality  of  the  proceedings. 

"But  all  this  time  the  press  at  Warsaw  and 
elsewhere  was  opening  its  pages  to  the  most 
awful  stories  that  you  could  imagine,  so  that  pub- 
lic indignation  is  constantly  increasing.  It  is 
evident  that  many  will  not  be  satisfied  with  any- 
thing short  of  the  murder  of  Joseph  Smith  and 
the  destruction  of  the  city.  Yet  this  day  Joseph 
and  Hyrum  decided  to  go  to  Carthage  and  sur- 
render themselves  for  trial,  trusting  to  Governor 
Ford  to  protect  them,  and  hoping  thus  to  save 
the  city  from  attack. 

"They  have  gathered  horses  for  an  early  start 
to-morrow.  Brother  Joseph  expressed  a  desire 
to  preach  to  the  Saints  once  more,  even  if  it  were 
to  be  by  starlight,  as  he  seems  to  feel  that  he 


208  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

may  never  see  them  again;  but  for  some  reason 
his  wish  was  not  gratified. 

"Captain  Dan  Jones  is  just  in  with  his  boat, 
from  Warsaw.  He  says  that  great  excitement 
prevails  there.  The  mob  had  a  cannon  and 
threatened  to  fire  into  his  boat.  They  told  him 
that  Nauvoo  would  soon  be  destroyed  and  every 
man,  woman,  and  child  in  it  put  to  death. 

"The  most  awful  hatred  is  manifested.  I  can- 
not account  for  it  all  excepting  that  the  powers 
of  darkness  are  at  work  clouding  the  minds  of  the 
people.  They  seem  to  feel,  as  Jesus  said,  that 
they  would  be  doing  God  service  to  kill  us  all. 
Of  course  some  of  this  hatred  is  due  to  commer- 
cial jealousy.  Nauvoo  is  growing  by  leaps  and 
bounds.  She  is  leaving  Carthage  and  Warsaw 
far  behind  in  growth  and  prosperity,  in  initiative 
and  enterprise.  This  is  keenly  felt. 

"Then  there  is  jealousy  between  the  Carthage 
Greys  and  other  local  bodies  of  militia  as  against 
the  Nauvoo  Legion.  And  certain  Missourians 
have  never  given  up  the  pursuit  of  Joseph  and 
have  sought  to  inflame  the  people  of  Illinois 
against  him,  and  have  repeatedly  sought  to  kid- 
nap or  kill  him.  And  perhaps  greatest  of  all  is 
the  fact  that  our  religious  belief  is  so  repugnant 
to  many.  We  believe  in  continued  revelation 


Letters  From  Nauvoo  209 

and  divine  blessings  of  every  character,  and  this 
seems  to  be  taken  as  a  personal  affront  by  mem- 
bers of  every  church,  all  of  whom  deny  these 
things.  They  seem  to  feel  that  if  we  are  right 
they  are  wrong,  and  accordingly  they  turn 
against  us.  As  grandfather  says,  religious  big- 
otry is  truly  the  blackest  root  that  ever  grew  up 
and  bore  the  bloody  fruit  of  martyrdom. 

"But  all  of  these  things  together  do  not  ac- 
count for  the  situation,  even  after  allowing  fully 
for  the  mistakes  that  our  own  people  undoubt- 
edly have  made.  Possibly  a  mistake  was  made 
in  the  Expositor  matter,  but  certainly  it  is  not  a 
capital  offense.  It  could  be  settled  in  the  courts. 
It  should  not  endanger  the  lives  of  men  and  the 
existence  of  the  city.  It  is  used  only  as  a  pre- 
text. 

"But  the  powers  of  evil  seem  disposed  to  de- 
stroy us  by  some  means  and  to  bury  our  message 
under  such  a  mass  of  calumny  and  filth  that 
none  will  ever  care  to  give  it  even  a  hearing. 
That  is  exactly  what  we  might  expect  if  indeed 
our  claims  regarding  a  restoration  be  true.  It 
is  but  an  added  evidence.  The  Devil  is  acting  as 
we  might  expect  him  to  act  in  view  of  the  nature 
of  our  work.  If  we  were  of  the  world  the  world 

TT— 13 


210  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

would  love  us,  for  as  Jesus  says,  the  world  loves 
its  own. 

"I  do  not  know  how  I  will  get  this  to  you.  In 
this  time  of  alarms  our  mail  service  is  practically 
suspended.  I  have  not  seen  old  Kis-Kish-Kee 
of  late.  He  has  formed  the  habit  of  calling  on  us 
periodically,  walking  in  unannounced,  and  usu- 
ally bringing  some  woodland  offering.  But  for 
some  time  he  has  not  been  here,  or  I  might  get 
him  to  carry  a  message  to  you. 

"This  letter  is  hastily  written  and  my  candle 
burns  low.  I  wished  to  acquaint  you  with  the 
troubled  condition  of  the  Saints.  I  fear  for  the 
lives  of  those  who  go  to  Carthage  to-morrow. 
The  air  is  full  of  alarming  rumors. 
"Yours, 

"DAVID  NOBLEMAN/' 


Timbers  for  the  Temple  211 

Chapter  Fifteen 

THE  TRAGEDY  AT  CAETHAGE 

/  am  going  like  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter;  but  I  am  calm  at  a 
summer's  morning.  I  have  a  conscience  void  of  offense  toward 
God,  and  toward  all  men  ...  7  shall  die  an  innocent  man  .  .  . 
and  it  shall  yet  be  said  of  me,  He  was  murdered  in  cold  blood. — 
Joseph  Smith's  farewell. 

Joseph  Smith,  claiming  to  be  an  inspired  teacher,  faced  ad- 
versity such  as  few  men  have  been  called  to  meet,  enjoyed  a  brief 
season  of  prosperity  such  as  few  m,en  have  ever  attained,  and 
finally,  forty-three  days  after  I  saw  him,  went  cheerfully  to  a 
martyr's  death. — Josiah  Quincy,  in  "Figures  of  the  Past." 

A"  SIX  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  June  24, 
1844,  a  cavalcade  of  some  twenty-five  horse- 
men gathered  on  the  field  near  the  home  of 
Joseph  Smith.  Eighteen  of  these  men,  includ- 
Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith,  were  under  arrest, 
charged  by  Francis  M.  Higbee  with  riot  in  the 
destruction  of  the  Nauvoo  Expositor  press.  They 
were  going  voluntarily  and  without  guard  to  sur- 
render themselves  for  trial  at  Carthage,  the 
county  seat  of  Hancock  County,  eighteen  miles 
away.  Their  road  lay  through  a  hostile  territory 
where  many  men  sought  their  lives,  yet  they  were 
not  provided  with  an  armed  escort  by  the  powers 


212  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

that  summoned  them,  and  they  were  forbidden  to 
take  an  armed  escort  from  the  city. 

There  was  the  inevitable  delay,  bustle,  and  con- 
fusion, tightening  of  saddle  girths,  subduing  of 
refractory  mounts,  running  of  errands  for  for- 
gotten articles,  and  finally  the  party  got  under 
way  at  half  past  six  and  rode  up  the  hill  at  a 
smart  gallop. 

At  the  top  of  the  hill,  as  they  reached  the  tem- 
ple, they  halted  for  a  time  while  Joseph  looked 
long  and  lovingly  at  the  temple,  the  beautiful 
city  on  the  slopes  of  the  hill,  and  the  broad  river 
shining  in  the  early  morning  light  of  a  June  day. 
With  a  sigh  he  turned  away  at  last  and  the  party 
passed  silently  out  of  the  city,  but  paused  at  the 
home  of  Esquire  Wells,  a  nonmember  of  the 
church,  who  was  ill  at  the  time.  Joseph  bade  him 
good-by,  according  to  report  saying,  "Esquire 
Wells,  I  wish  you  to  cherish  my  memory,  and  not 
think  me  the  worst  man  in  the  world,  either." 

The  party  then  proceeded  on  its  way,  expect- 
ing to  go  directly  to  Carthage,  knowing  that  a 
hostile  populace  awaited  their  arrival,  but  trust- 
ing to  the  fair  promise  received  from  Governor 
Ford,  that  they  would  be  protected.  They  had 
traveled  at  an  easy  gait  about  fourteen  miles, 
or  to  a  point  about  four  miles  west  of  Carthage, 


Tragedy  at  Carthage  213 

near  the  farm  of  Albert  G.  Fellows,  when  they 
were  confronted  by  a  party  of  armed  men  about 
sixty  in  number. 

This  spectacle  caused  some  excitement,  but 
Joseph  said,  "Do  not  be  alarmed,  brethren,  for 
they  cannot  do  more  to  you  than  the  enemies  of 
truth  did  to  the  ancient  Saints — they  can  only 
kill  the  body." 

It  was  soon  learned,  however,  that  this  was  a 
company  of  militia  commanded  by  Captain 
Dunn,  who  desired  an  order  from  Joseph  for  the 
State  arms  at  Nauvoo.  This  he  signed,  expect- 
ing to  continue  his  journey.  Here  Joseph  said 
good-by  to  Henry  G.  Sherwood,  who  was  return- 
ing to  Nauvoo,  and  it  was  then  that  he  is  re- 
ported to  have  said  to  the  company  about  him: 

"I  am  going  like  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter;  but 
I  am  calm  as  a  summer's  morning.  I  have  a  con- 
science void  of  offense  toward  God,  and  toward 
all  men.  If  they  take  my  life  I  shall  die  an  inno- 
cent man  .  .  .  and  it  shall  be  said  of  me,  'He  was 
murdered  in  cold  blood.' ' 

But  the  heart  of  Captain  Dunn  failed  him  and 
he  begged  the  company  to  return  to  Nauvoo  with 
him  and  oversee  the  gathering  of  the  arms.  So 
to  their  surprise  the  little  cavalcade  of  horsemen 
found  themselves  returning  to  Nauvoo — they 


214  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

were  caught  in  the  seesaw  of  injustice  that 
seemed  to  play  with  their  destiny  for  a  time. 

The  people  at  Nauvoo  were  loath  to  give  up 
the  State  arms,  as  they  regarded  the  entire  pro- 
ceeding as  a  preparation  for  another  massacre 
such  as  they  had  experienced  in  Missouri.  But 
they  respected  the  demand  made  in  legal  form, 
and  by  six  o'clock  that  evening  the  arms  had  been 
collected,  much  to  the  surprise  and  pleasure  of 
Captain  Dunn. 

Organized  bodies  of  militia  throughout  the 
country,  hostile  to  the  Saints,  were  permitted  to 
keep  State  arms,  and  to  use  them,  but  the  Nau- 
voo  Legion  having  been  previously  disbanded, 
was  now  disarmed.  Twice  during  the  gathering 
of  the  arms  Joseph  rode  down  to  his  home  by  the 
river  and  bade  his  family  a  lingering  good-by. 
He  was  solemn  and  depressed  and  seemed  to 
sense  that  he  would  never  return  alive.  His  little 
cavalcade  again  started  for  Carthage  somewhat 
ahead  of  Captain  Dunn's  troops. 

They  stopped  again  at  the  Fellows  farm,  at 
nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  ate  their  suppers. 
Here  they  were  joined  an  hour  later  by  Captain 
Dunn  and  his  company. 

They  rode  into  Carthage  at  five  minutes  be- 
fore midnight,  having  been  in  the  saddle  most  of 


Tragedy  at  Carthage  215 

the  time  since  early  morning.  Among  all  the 
twinkling  lights  of  the  prairie  town  not  one  shed 
forth  a  friendly  gleam  of  welcome,  and  as  they 
passed  the  town  square  where  the  Carthage 
Greys  were  in  camp,  ribald  shouts  and  jeers 
greeted  them. 

"Where  is  the  damned  prophet?"  they  yelled. 
"Stand  away  you  McDonough  boys  (Dunn's 
men)  and  let  us  shoot  the  damned  Mormons. 
Damn  you,  old  Joe,  we've  got  you  now.  Clear 
the  way  and  let  us  see  Joe  Smith,  the  prophet  of 
God!  He  has  seen  the  last  of  Nauvoo!" 

These  were  the  men  who  were  selected  later  by 
Governor  Ford  to  guard  the  jail  where  the  Saints 
were  confined. 

Followed  by  this  hooting,  yelling,  cursing  rab- 
ble, the  cavalcade  proceeded  to  the  door  of  Ham- 
ilton's Tavern,  where  the  men  finally  found 
lodging  for  the  night,  under  the  same  roof  that 
sheltered  some  of  their  bitterest  enemies,  and 
their  doubtful  protector,  Governor  Ford. 

Naturally  the  people  in  Nauvoo  were  left  in  a 
state  of  great  mental  distress  and  anxiety.  Their 
two  leading  spiritual  directors  and  advisers  were 
under  arrest.  They  learned  that  an  added  charge 
of  treason  had  been  filed  against  Joseph  and 


216  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Hyrum  and  that  they  had  been  lodged  in  jail. 
Rumor  brought  them  threats  that  these  two  men 
would  never  be  allowed  to  escape ;  that  some  real- 
izing the  charge  of  treason  could  not  be  sustained 
had  decided  to  take  the  law  into  their  own  hands, 
and  had  epitomized  the  hostile  sentiment  some- 
thing like  this:  "The  law  will  not  reach  these 
men,  but  powder  and  bullets  will."  For  once 
rumor  was  too  well  founded. 

Nauvoo  was  virtually  in  a  state  of  siege.  The 
mails  had  been  discontinued  for  some  days.  Mes- 
sages came  in  and  out  only  by  special  express. 
Twelve  or  thirteen  hundred  enemies  were  armed 
and  encamped  at  Carthage.  There  were  six  hun- 
dred more  at  Warsaw.  Other  bodies  of  men 
were  preparing  to  come  from  points  in  Missouri. 

The  Nauvoo  Legion  had  not  proved  a  means 
of  defense.  In  fact,  its  very  existence  had  been  a 
detriment,  because  it  created  alarm  and  hatred 
among  those  who  did  not  understand  its  purpose, 
and  the  most  intense  jealousy  among  rival  forces 
of  militia,  such  as  the  Carthage  Greys,  while  in 
the  hour  of  danger  word  had  come  from  the  State 
authorities  to  disband  and  disarm,  and  they,  not 
being  willing  to  act  contrary  to  the  State,  were 
left  powerless  and  defenseless. 

Thus  the  time  wore  on  in  alarm  and  distress 


Tragedy  at  Carthage  217 

until  the  twenty-seventh  day  of  June  dawned. 
On  this  day  Governor  Ford  made  his  now  fa- 
mous visit  to  Nauvoo.  Finding  to  his  own  satis- 
faction that  the  militia  under  his  charge  were  not 
to  be  depended  upon,  as  they  were  in  fact  an 
organized  mob  determined  to  kill  Joseph  Smith 
and  sack  and  burn  Nauvoo,  and  fearing  that  they 
might  carry  out  their  plans,  he  had  disbanded 
most  of  them,  excepting  the  Carthage  Greys  and 
a  personal  escort. 

With  a  strange  perversion  of  judgment,  if 
indeed  he  wished  to  save  the  men  whose  lives  he 
had  pledged  his  sacred  word  as  governor  to  pro- 
tect, he  left  the  Carthage  jail  guarded  by  but 
eight  men,  members  of  the  Carthage  Greys,  and 
marched  away  to  Nauvoo  with  his  guard. 

He  arrived  at  that  place  about  four  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon  and  called  the  people  of  Nauvoo 
together  to  hear  an  address.  He  gave  them  some 
warnings,  some  threats,  and  some  more  fair 
promises  that  their  leaders  should  be  protected 
and  given  a  just  trial.  He  asked  them  if  they 
were  willing  to  obey  the  laws  of  the  land  even  in 
opposition  to  their  leaders,  and  putting  the  ques- 
tion to  vote  was  much  delighted  to  find  that  all 
voted  to  sustain  the  law  under  all  circumstances. 
He  did  not  know  that  a  cardinal  principle  of  the 


218  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

church  had  been  announced  by  Joseph  Smith, 
namely,  "He  that  keepeth  the  laws  of  God  hath 
no  need  to  break  the  laws  of  the  land." 

Having  accepted  the  hospitality  of  Emma 
Smith,  wife  of  the  Prophet,  at  the  Mansion 
House,  he  finally  departed  with  his  train,  just 
las  the  sun  was  sinking  to  rest.  At  half  past  six 
they  passed  up  Main  Street,  the  guard  indulging 
in  sword  exercises,  clearing  the  street  with  passes 
and  thrusts,  designed  to  impress  the  Saints. 

But  while  he  had  been  partaking  of  the  hos- 
pitality of  Emma  Smith  and  haranguing  the 
Saints  on  obedience  to  law,  strange  and  violent 
scenes  of  lawlessness  had  occurred  at  Carthage 
where  he  had  left  his  prisoners  unprotected 
among  the  wolves.  In  fact,  as  he  rode  from  the 
town  of  Nauvoo  the  governor  halted  two  mes- 
sengers hastening  in  with  tragic  news,  and  very 
much  frightened  he  gathered  them  into  his  train 
and  fled  towards  Carthage. 

The  men  confined  in  the  jail,  Joseph  and  Hy- 
rum  Smith,  John  Taylor,  and  Willard  Richards, 
had  passed  the  day  as  best  they  could,  with  read- 
ing, writing,  and  singing.  Yet  they  knew  their 
peril,  and  ere  the  night  fell  all  knew  that  their 
fears  were  justified. 

At  about  five  o'clock,  probably  at  the  time 


Tragedy  at  Carthage  219 

when  Governor  Ford  was  haranguing  the  people 
at  Nauvoo,  a  mob  of  men  numbering  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  or  more,  painted  black  and  yellow, 
slipped  from  the  fringe  of  woods  adjoining 
Carthage,  and  ran  forward  to  the  jail.  They 
quickly  encircled  the  building  on  their  deadly  er- 
rand, paying  no  attention  to  the  mock  guard 
which  yelled  and  fired  its  guns  over  their  heads  in 
sham  defiance.  They  burst  open  the  door,  and 
some  charged  the  stairway,  while  others  covered 
the  windows  with  guns. 

In  a  few  minutes  of  shouting,  cursing,  shoot- 
ing, and  confusion,  in  an  excess  of  fury  and  con- 
centrated hatred,  their  work  was  done,  and  sud- 
denly panic-stricken  they  fled  away,  leaving  the 
dead  and  wounded  victims  of  their  passion  behind 
them.  Their  panic  soon  communicated  itself  to 
the  city,  and  ere  long  whole  families  were  leav- 
ing the  town,  fearing  a  revenge  that  the  peo- 
ple of  Nauvoo  neither  contemplated  nor  ever 
sought  for. 


220  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Chapter  Sixteen 

JOHN  NOBLEMAN  RETURNS 

IN  mid  afternoon  of  June  28,  1844,  a  canoe 
swung  lightly  around  the  bend  in  the  river 
above  Nauvoo  and  drew  in  towards  the  shore. 
In  the  frail  bark,  so  graceful  in  design  and  so 
light  upon  the  water,  rode  Kis-Kish-Kee  and 
John  Nobleman. 

They  landed,  and  John  Nobleman  leaped 
ashore,  and  stretched  his  cramped  limbs.  He 
looked  about  him  in  surprise,  noting  that  the 
landing  was  absolutely  deserted,  a  thing  most 
unusual.  He  lifted  his  black  slouch  hat  from  his 
head  and  wiped  the  sweat  from  his  brow,  for  he 
had  paddled  rapidly. 

Then  after  a  word  to  his  aged  Indian  com- 
panion he  ran  up  the  river  bank  and  hastened 
homeward.  But  again  he  was  surprised  to  find 
the  door  ajar  and  the  premises  apparently  de- 
serted. He  passed  through  the  living  room  and 
the  kitchen,  and  into  the  rose  garden,  calling, 
"David;  oh,  David!  Mildred!  Mildred!  where  are 
you?" 

Receiving  no  answer,  he  went  upon  the  street 


John  Nobleman  Returns  221 

again,  but  could  see  no  one  in  the  neighborhood. 
Suddenly  alarm  fell  upon  him.  It  seemed  at 
once  as  though  a  black  pall  of  sorrow  settled 
down  around  him.  Or  rather  the  joy  of  his  home- 
coming that  had  made  him  impervious  to  the  at- 
mosphere of  the  city  was  dispelled,  and  suddenly 
he  sensed  that  he  stood  in  a  city  of  appalling 
gloom,  though  the  nature  of  the  trouble  he  could 
not  guess. 

Thoroughly  alarmed,  he  ran  up  the  street  to- 
wards the  hill.  Soon  he  saw  others  on  the  street, 
all  going  in  the  same  direction.  He  overtook 
an  old  man,  breathless  and  hatless,  hastening 
towards  the  temple.  John  caught  him  by  the 
shoulder  and  demanded  to  know  the  nature  of 
the  disaster  that  seemed  to  have  overtaken  the 
city.  But  the  old  man  only  looked  at  him  with 
vacant  eyes  and  fought  him  off,  apparently  un- 
able to  answer. 

He  pressed  on  rapidly,  again  determined  to 
come  to  the  root  of  the  matter.  On  Mulholland 
Street  he  found  thousands  of  people  assembled 
on  either  side  of  the  street,  as  far  as  he  could 
see.  He  asked  breathless  questions  of  several, 
but  all  looked  at  him  with  the  same  strained  faces 
and  abstracted  gaze,  without  replying. 

He  heard  the  note  of  a  trumpet  and  the  muf- 


222  Timbers  for  the  Temple  • 

fled  roll  of  a  drum.  And  presently  far  down 
the  street,  whither  every  eye  was  turned,  he 
espied  the  front  of  a  procession.  As  it  drew  near, 
a  shudder  seemed  to  run  through  the  crowd. 
Sobs  and  lamentations,  not  loud  but  deep,  heart- 
rending, seemed  to  accompany  it,  like  the  waves 
following  in  the  wake  of  a  funeral  barge. 

The  procession  drew  abreast  of  him.  There 
was  a  wagon,  bearing  some  burden,  covered  with 
green  boughs.  There  were  many  men  on  horse- 
back, the  city  council,  former  members  of  the 
Legion,  and  citizens.  And  suddenly  he  knew 
intuitively  that  the  burden  in  the  wagon  under 
the  green  boughs  was  the  mortal  remains  of 
Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith.  They  had  come  that 
day  from  Carthage,  accompanied  by  Samuel 
Smith,  Willard  Richards,  and  Mr.  Hamilton. 

Standing  rigid,  stricken  by  the  monstrous  news 
that  he  had  gripped  from  the  air,  the  shuddering 
groans  of  the  people  in  his  ears,  John  Nobleman 
suddenly  became  aware  of  a  hand  that  had 
grasped  his  firmly.  He  looked  around  abstract- 
edly, as  others  had  done  before  him,  and  saw 
David  Nobleman  and  Mildred  standing  at  his 
side.  He  drew  his  hand  across  his  brow  as  though 
to  brush  away  a  phantasy  of  the  mind,  but  the 
procession  still  persisted. 


John  Nobleman  Returns  228 

David  smiled,  pityingly,  understandingly,  and 
said,  "Yes,  they  have  killed  Joseph  and  Hyrum. 
Their  work  is  done,  their  testimony  sealed  with 
their  blood.  As  the  last  positive  proof  of  their 
sincerity  they  have  given  their  lives.  They  might 
have  fled  away  and  escaped  at  any  time  up  to 
the  day  when  they  went  to  Carthage;  but  they 
did  not,  and  I  am  glad  they  did  not." 

The  three  followed  the  procession  down  the 
hill  to  the  Mansion  House,  where  the  uncon- 
scious forms  were  carried  behind  the  doors  of 
that  place  which  had  been  home  to  them  while 
living  and  where  their  weeping  families  awaited 
them.  The  eight  or  ten  thousand  people  who 
had  assembled  were  addressed  by  Doctor  Rich- 
ards and  others,  and  all  resolved,  as  advised,  to 
trust  the  law  for  redress  for  the  wrongs  they  had 
suffered.  They  put  from  them  any  thought  of 
violence  or  revenge  and  dispersed. 

Behind  the  closed  doors  sad  scenes  were 
enacted.  The  bodies  were  washed  and  dressed 
by  Dimick  B.  Huntington,  William  D.  Hunt- 
ington,  and  William  Marks.  It  was  a  happy  in- 
cident that  Marks,  president  of  the  Nauvoo 
Stake,  who  had  been  so  faithful  to  Joseph  in  life, 
and  who  was  to  become  counselor  to  his  son  in 
later  years,  should  assist  in  this  last  sad  function. 


224  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

The  cruel  bullet  wounds,  of  which  there  were 
many,  were  filled  with  cotton,  saturated  with 
camphor,  and  the  bodies  were  covered  with  clean 
white  shrouds — arrayed  in  white  raiment,  typical 
of  the  righteousness  of  Saints,  and  then  the  fam- 
ily came  in  to  review  the  silent  clay  that  had  so 
recently  been  intelligent  and  animated. 

Then  came  little  Joseph,  the  oldest  son,  des- 
tined to  continue  his  father's  work  in  later  years, 
and  falling  upon  his  knees  laid  his  cheek  against 
the  cheek  of  his  father,  who  had  never  before  re- 
fused to  respond  to  his  caress,  and  kissing  him, 
cried,  "Oh,  my  father,  my  father!" 

Came  also  his  aged  mother,  crying  in  her  dis- 
tress, "My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
this  family!"  and  hearing  the  answer,  "I  have 
taken  them  to  myself,  that  they  might  have  rest." 

Came  also  the  faithful  wife,  even  then  over- 
shadowed by  impending  motherhood,  thus  cruelly 
overwhelmed  after  so  many  years  of  trial.  But 
let  us  draw  the  curtain  on  these  sad,  intimate 
scenes. 

The  following  day,  Saturday,  at  eight  o'clock 
the  doors  of  the  Mansion  House  were  thrown 
open,  that  the  Saints  might  come  and  take  a 
last  look  at  their  Prophet  and  Patriarch.  All 
day  long,  until  five  o'clock  that  evening  a  steady 


John  Nobleman  Returns  225 

stream  of  weeping  humanity  flowed  in  at  the 
west  door  of  the  Mansion  and  out  at  the  north 
door. 

A  public  funeral  was  held;  but  later,  privately, 
and  at  night,  the  bodies  were  buried  in  a  secret 
grave,  the  exact  location  of  which  even  to  this 
day,  is  known  only  to  a  few.  Even  in  death  their 
bodies  were  not  safe  from  the  hatred  and  wrath 
that  had  pursued  them.  In  this  unknown  grave 
they  rest,  on  the  hill  slope,  close  to  the  murmur- 
ing waves  of  the  Mississippi. 

We  can  hardly  imagine  the  gloom  that  settled 
over  Nauvoo  following  the  assassination  of  the 
Prophet  and  Patriarch.  The  Saints  felt  that 
they  were  left,  for  the  time  being,  at  least,  as 
sheep  without  a  shepherd,  and  at  the  mercy  of 
the  wolves. 

Winged  slander  that  had  precipitated  the 
tragedy  still  flew  to  and  fro  in  the  land.  For  in- 
stance, Governor  Ford  himself  tells  how  the  com- 
mittee at  Warsaw  called  the  citizens  together  by 
the  ringing  of  bells  and  related  to  them  that  a 
company  of  Saints  had  attempted  to  rescue  Jos- 
eph and  Hyrum  Smith;  that  the  governor  with 
his  party  had  been  attacked  in  Nauvoo  and  was 
even  then  besieged,  and  had  sent  word  that  he 
could  hold  out  for  two  days  but  would  surely  be 

TT— 14 


226  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

massacred  unless  help  arrived  ere  the  end  of  that 
time. 

On  the  strength  of  this  wild  report  an  armed 
party  actually  embarked  on  a  steamboat  from 
Quincy  to  go  to  the  rescue  of  the  governor.  This 
story  was  of  a  piece  with  all  the  wicked  and  silly 
rumors  that  had  inflamed  the  countryside  and 
fanned  public  opinion  to  the  pitch  where  nothing 
but  the  expulsion  or  extermination  of  the  people 
at  Nauvoo  would  ever  bring  satisfaction — and 
after  that,  sober  second  thought  would  never, 
never  find  satisfaction. 


Like  all  other  homes  in  Nauvoo,  the  Noble- 
man home  was  a  home  of  sorrow.  At  night  the 
members  of  the  household  sat  in  the  big  living 
room,  before  the  open  fireplace.  The  flickering 
light  of  the  wood  fire  threw  dark  shadows  along 
the  walls,  or  dimly  revealed  the  books  and  paint- 
ings and  the  subdued  occupants  of  the  room. 

Grandmother  Nobleman  sat  in  her  accustomed 
chair,  her  nearly  sightless  eyes  gazing  into  space, 
seeing  none  knew  what  scenes  of  the  tragic  past. 
Grandfather  Nobleman  paced  back  and  forth, 
back  and  forth,  across  the  room,  as  was  his  habit, 
tall  and  straight,  limping  slightly  from  his 


John  Nobleman  Returns  227 

Haun's  Mill  wound,  his  fine  old  face  sad  and 
thoughtful. 

In  another  chair  sat  John  Nobleman,  and  on 
the  one  arm  of  the  great  homemade  chair  perched 
Mildred,  while  on  the  other  sat  David.  Each 
had  an  arm  about  the  neck  of  the  returned  brother 
—one  was  the  arm  of  a  brother,  the  other  the 
arm  of  an  angel,  but  a  passionate  angel,  an  angel 
of  fire  and  light.  John  Nobleman  did  not  think 
of  it  as  the  embrace  of  a  foster  sister.  And  as 
he  thought  of  the  dangers  that  threatened  Mil- 
dred, as  they  threatened  every  woman  in  the 
mob-menaced  city,  he  clenched  his  hands  and  a 
great  rage  welled  up  in  his  breast. 

But  it  was  followed  by  a  greater  sorrow,  and 
afterward  by  peace,  for  the  gentle  touch  soothed 
his  spirit  at  last,  and  even  in  danger  and  doubt, 
just  over  the  horizon  the  eyes  of  youth  saw  hap- 
pier days. 

They  recounted  their  experiences.  John  No- 
bleman told  how  old  Kis-Kish-Kee  had  suddenly 
appeared  in  the  camp  with  the  peremptory  de- 
mand that  John  come  with  him — "Younger 
brother  need  you  very  much  bimeby,"  was  all  he 
would  say.  "Much  trouble  in  Nauvoo  soon!" 

He  had  yielded  to  the  Indian's  command  and 
they  had  made  a  rapid  trip  down  the  river.  Mil- 


228  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

dred  and  David  in  their  turn  told  all  that  they 
knew  about  the  events  that  had  happened. 

"We  must  prepare  to  defend  ourselves,"  cried 
John  Nobleman.  "We  must  get  the  Legion  to- 
gether again.  Surely  there  are  many  private 
arms  not  belonging  to  the  State  that  we  can 
gather  up.  I  am  told  that  Governor  Ford  has 
sent  word  that  we  are  now  at  liberty  to  defend 
ourselves  if  the  worst  comes  to  the  worst.  He 
realizes  too  late  our  danger.  He  must  see  now 
who  are  the  aggressors,  who  the  lawbreakers, 
who  guilty  of  treason." 

William  Nobleman  paused  in  his  walk.  In  his 
eyes  in  the  dim  light  they  could  see  the  prescient 
look  of  second  sight  that  sometimes  characterized 
him  and  David. 

"I  am  not  concerned  about  the  mobs,"  he  said. 
"Jesus  said  that  we  should  not  fear  him  who  has 
power  only  to  kill  the  body.  I  fear  for  the 
church  in  her  period  of  doubt  and  uncertainty. 
There  will  be  ambitious  leaders  arise.  There  will 
be  false  teachers.  Already  some  have  sought  to 
teach  false  doctrine,  as  Bennett  with  his  spiritual 
wife  system,  and  only  a  few  weeks  ago  Brother 
Joseph  was  obliged  to  publish  a  notice  in  the 
Times  and  Seasons  expelling  an  elder  who  had 
taught  polygamy. 


John  Nobleman  Returns  229 

"I  fear  for  the  integrity  of  the  Saints,  lest  they 
be  betrayed  by  designing  leaders,  and  the  wolves 
that  Paul  mentioned  in  his  day  enter  in  and 
despoil  the  flock.  We  should  arm  ourselves 
against  such  dangers — not  against  flesh  and 
blood,  but  against  principalities  and  powers  and 
spiritual  wickedness  in  high  places/' 


230  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Chapter  Seventeen 

THE  RIFT  IN  THE  LUTE 

r  I  "iHE  chill  of  late  autumn  was  in  the  air  de- 

1    spite  the  brilliant  fall  sunshine.    As  David 

and  Mildred  walked  the  streets  of  Nauvoo, 

now  lingering  in  the  shadow  of  the  temple  walls, 

now  loitering  along  Mulholland  Street,  again 

standing  long  at  David's  Lookout,  they  noted 

constantly  the  sound  of  feverish  industry. 

There  was  everywhere  the  insistent  ring  of  the 
hammer,  the  musical  clangor  of  the  anvil,  the  roar 
of  the  forge.  Yet  there  was  a  new  sound  in  this 
chorus  of  industry.  It  was  not  as  when  hammer 
and  saw  and  trowel  blended  their  notes  in  the 
happy  labor  of  home  building.  The  difference 
filled  the  hearts  of  the  two  with  foreboding. 
Feeling  impending  danger,  as  though  sensing 
possible  separation,  they  drew  closer  together. 
Mildred  slipped  her  hand  into  David's  arm  and 
gripped  it  tight,  as  though  imploring  him  to  hold 
her  from  some  unseen  but  real  peril.  He  patted 
the  hand  and  smiled  into  her  eyes  reassuringly, 
but  the  somber  look  in  their  depths  was  not  light- 
ened. "Oh,  David!"  she  whispered,  under  her 


Rift  in  the  Lute  281 

breath,  and  caught  at  her  bosom  with  her  free 
hand. 

All  those  hard-working  men  in  all  those  busy 
shops  were  manufacturing  wagons,  and  the  ac- 
couterments  for  wagons.  David  spread  out  his 
hands  and  smiled  ruefully.  They  were  calloused 
and  blistered,  for  he,  too,  had  taken  his  turn  at 
the  work,  dividing  his  time  between  hammer  and 
paint  brush. 

Every  blacksmith  shop,  every  wagon  shop, 
every  forge  was  busy.  Cooperages  had  been  con- 
verted into  wagon  factories.  Scores  of  private 
dwellings  and  barns  had  experienced  the  same 
fate.  Men  were  shaping  wheels,  beating  out  and 
welding  tires,  fashioning  wagon  tongues,  draw- 
ing and  bending  wagon  bows,  building  wagon 
beds,  cutting  and  shaping  wagon  covers.  The 
noise  of  the  hammer,  the  anvil,  the  forge  had 
been  in  their  ears  almost  day  and  night. 

And  there  were  committees  hurrying  to  and 
fro,  disposing  of  property:  selling  it  at  a  song, 
trading  it  for  road  gear,  almost  giving  it  away. 
Every  visible  activity  .portended  an  exodus.  The 
two  shivered  as  though  smitten  with  a  chill,  and 
the  sober,  anxious  look  on  Mildred's  countenance 
deepened. 

"David,"  she  said,  "I  cannot  decide  who  is 


282  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

right  in  this  matter;  you  or  John.  I  wish  we 
could  go  back  only  a  few  years  to  the  old  days 
when  we  saw  eye  to  eye ;  when  we  were  so  happy ; 
when  Brother  Joseph  was  here  and  there  were  no 
forebodings  and  whisperings  of  strange  things 
to  come;  no  divisions  among  the  faithful." 

After  they  had  looked  their  fill  at  the  river 
below  them,  the  two  turned  from  David's  Look- 
out and  went  down  the  hill  towards  home.  At 
the  open  door  of  a  carpenter  shop  they  paused 
and  hailed  those  within.  John  Nobleman  came 
to  the  door.  His  sleeves  were  rolled  to  the  elbow, 
he  wore  a  carpenter's  apron,  and  his  clothing 
was  flecked  with  sawdust.  The  floor  under  his 
feet  was  littered  with  resinous,  sweet-smelling 
shavings.  In  his  hand  he  held  a  drawing  knife, 
and  they  could  see  that  he  had  been  working  on 
the  spokes  of  a  half -finished  wagon  wheel. 

He  smiled  and  greeted  them  gayly,  no  hint  of 
their  trouble  in  his  eyes.  He  seemed  stronger, 
more  athletic,  self-poised,  and  confident  than  ever 
before. 

"Come,  put  by  your  work  for  the  day,  brother 
John,"  urged  David.  "You  will  be  sure  to  come 
back  and  work  in  the  evening.  Lay  off  now  for 
a  while  and  come  home  with  us." 

Mildred  joined  in  the  plea,  and  finally  John 


Rift  in  the  Lute  288 

Nobleman  doffed  his  apron,  swung  himself  easily 
into  his  coat,  clapped  his  big  black  hat  on  his 
head  and  set  off  with  them,  one  on  either  side  of 
the  foster  sister  Mildred,  now  in  very  fact  a 
young  woman,  possessed  of  every  charm  that  her 
girlhood  had  promised.  David  and  Mildred 
walked  hand  in  hand,  and  at  times  John  Noble- 
man seemed  to  scan  them  with  a  speculative, 
brooding  eye,  as  though  he  would  determine  their 
exact  relationship  to  his  own  satisfaction,  yet 
seeming  to  find  no  satisfaction. 

They  reached  the  home  and,  entering,  paid 
their  respects  to  the  aged  grandmother,  now  en- 
tirely confined  to  her  bed,  and  to  the  tall,  straight- 
shouldered,  white-haired  grandfather  who  at- 
tended her  every  want  so  faithfully. 

"Is  that  you,  David?"  queried  the  grand- 
mother, in  the  quavering,  high-pitched  voice  of 
the  aged.  She  reached  forth  her  hand  and 
touched  his  face  to  verify  his  answer. 

"I  hear  strange  things  these  days,  David,"  she 
went  on.  "They  try  to  keep  things  from  me,  I 
am  so  old  and  blind  and  deaf  and  useless.  But 
I  hear  things.  I  hear  things.  I  hear  hammers 
and  saws.  I  hear  talk  about  another  drive.  I 
hear  about  the  attack  on  our  settlements  in  the 
country  in  September.  They  say  the  'fire  and 


234  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

sword  party,'  as  it  is  called,  burned  nearly  two 
hundred  of  our  homes  and  turned  the  men  and 
women  and  children  out  in  the  night.  I  hear, 
too,  that  all  the  people  have  decided  that  we  must 
go  or  be  killed.  They  were  quiet  for  a  time  after 
Joseph  and  Hyrum  were  murdered.  But  now 
they  are  thirsty  again  for  blood.  The  folks  try 
to  keep  these  things  from  me,  but  I  hear  them. 
And  I  lie  here  and  think  about  many  things. 
Must  I  be  driven  again,  David,  in  my  extreme 
old  age?" 

David  placed  his  hand  tenderly  upon  her  sil- 
vered hair,  and  while  tears  obscured  his  vision 
and  a  catch  came  into  his  voice,  he  answered, 
"No,  grandmother,  you  shall  not  be  moved  again 
unless  you  consent.  You  shall  stay  here  if  you 
wish  to  do  so,  even  if  you  and  I  fill  one  grave 
together." 

The  aged  woman  sank  back  again  apparently 
satisfied.  John  Nobleman  listened  closely  to  this 
dialogue  and  a  troubled  look  came  into  his  eyes, 
but  it  was  followed  by  one  of  almost  stubborn 
determination.  However,  he  did  not  speak. 

David  passed  out  into  the  rose  garden  back  of 
the  house.  The  maple  tree,  like  the  rosebushes, 
was  devoid  of  leaves.  They  had  showered  down 
in  scarlet  and  golden  profusion  and  now  lay  un- 


Rift  in  the  Lute  235 

der  his  feet,  brown  and  sere.  Yet  he  had  kept  up 
his  painting  at  intervals,  using  the  garden  as  a 
studio,  in  spite  of  the  lateness  of  the  season.  He 
loved  to  work  here,  where  first  we  met  him  at 
his  business  of  painting  the  miniature. 

There  stood  his  easel,  as  he  had  abandoned  it 
earlier  in  the  day.  It  supported  a  canvas  of  no- 
ble proportions.  Evidently  this  was  one  of  his 
most  ambitious  undertakings.  In  fact,  it  was 
his  picture  of  the  building  of  the  temple,  or  as 
he  had  named  it,  "Timbers  for  the  temple."  He 
sat  upon  his  stool  and  scanned  his  work  thought- 
fully, then  paced  to  and  fro  in  the  garden,  paus- 
ing at  times  to  look  at  the  canvas. 

The  scene  portrayed  the  familiar  temple  site. 
There  were  the  unfinished  walls  of  stone.  Busy 
men  were  toiling  upon  the  walls.  In  the  fore- 
ground workmen  were  shaping  rugged  timbers, 
recently  from  the  forest,  soon  to  be  fitted  some- 
where into  the  interior  of  the  temple  structure. 

In  the  background,  dimly  seen,  spiritual  in 
aspect,  appeared  the  faces  of  the  ancient  prophets 
who  had  foreseen  the  great  restoration.  And 
at  one  side,  apparently  unnoticed  by  the  workers, 
stood  a  heroic  figure,  that  of  the  Savior.  With 
thoughtful  gaze  he  watched  the  strenuous  labor- 


286  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

ers,  apparently  by  silent  will  power  directing 
their  activities. 

The  young  artist  had  begun  this  picture  some 
years  earlier,  and  it  had  grown  with  the  temple. 
At  first  he  had  worked  with  rapturous  abandon. 
Every  stroke  had  been  sure.  The  design  was 
clear  in  his  mind.  A  spiritual  blessing  seemed  to 
overshadow  him  as  he  worked  on.  The  colors 
flowed  from  his  brush  as  words  of  truth  from  the 
tongue  of  an  inspired  preacher. 

But  of  late  a  sad  change  had  come.  Confusion 
seemed  to  have  come  upon  his  work.  In  spite  of 
himself  he  had  painted  into  the  face  of  the  Savior 
a  sad  expression,  that  became  almost  agonized 
as  the  picture  grew.  The  faces  of  the  prophets 
receded.  The  forms  of  the  laborers  became  more 
animal.  The  spiritual  element  vanished.  And 
strangely,  he  discovered  that  almost  uncon- 
sciously he  had  painted  in  another  figure  that  be- 
gan to  eclipse  the  figure  of  the  Savior.  A  domi- 
nant, brutal,  insistent  figure  that  would  not  be 
resisted,  whose  shadow  fell  blackly  across  the 
foreground.  The  same  figure  that  was  now  ris- 
ing colossal  to  dominate  for  a  time  the  destinies 
of  the  church,  the  sinister  figure  of  a  powerful, 
unscrupulous  man. 

When  John  Nobleman  first  saw  this  figure  he 


Rift  in  the  Lute  287 

looked  curiously  at  David  and  said,  "That  is  a 
remarkable  picture  of  Brigham  Young.  But  you 
are  giving  it  too  much  prominence.  It  takes  at- 
tention to  the  exclusion  of  Jesus." 

David  had  tossed  back  his  hair  with  his  char- 
acteristic gesture,  and  laughing  sardonically,  re- 
plied, "I  think  that  I  am  not  giving  it  more 
prominence  than  events  justify.  We  shall  see," 
and  with  another  stroke  of  the  brush  he  strength- 
ened the  militant  and  brutal  jaw  of  the  domi- 
nant figure,  whereat  the  figure  of  the  Master 
seemed  further  to  recede  into  the  background. 

John  had  looked  at  him  frowningly  and  said, 
"You  don't  trust  Brother  Brigham,  but  I  tell 
you  he  is  a  great  man.  A  wonderful  man.  He 
is  our  only  hope  now." 

"Our  only  hope?"  queried  David.  "Then  my 
types  are  not  confused.  My  picture  progresses 
true  to  the  situation."  And  poising  his  brush  for 
a  moment,  with  a  few  sure  passes  he  further  ob- 
scured the  face  of  the  Savior. 

"David,"  cried  John  Nobleman,  angrily,  strik- 
ing his  fist  into  his  palm,  "what  has  come  over 
you?  I  cannot  understand  you  at  all."  Checking 
himself,  mindful  that  this  was  not  their  first  un- 
pleasant controversy,  he  strode  away. 

Now  David  recalled  this  altercation.  He  paced 


238  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

to  and  fro  and  studied  the  picture  in  the  fading 
light.  "It  is  no  use,"  he  exclaimed  at  last.  "A 
change  has  come,  or  at  least  is  coming.  If  the 
temple  were  finished,  which  it  will  not  be,  it 
would  no  longer  be  the  temple  of  God.  If  I 
were  to  finish  this  picture  it  would  not  be  a  pic- 
ture of  the  temple  of  God." 

Picking  up  the  big  knife  that  Kis-Kish-Kee 
had  given  him  and  which  he  often  used  about  his 
work,  he  thrust  it  through  the  canvas,  and  run- 
ning the  blade  rapidly  around  within  the  frame, 
stripped  the  canvas  from  its  setting,  leaving  the 
frame  empty.  He  held  the  canvas  a  moment  in 
his  hands,  and  then  with  quick,  strong  gestures 
tore  it  into  strips  which  he  threw  upon  the 
ground. 

"Some  day,"  he  soliloquized,  "I  will  paint  an- 
other picture,  quite  a  different  one,  of  temple 
building.  But  then  my  timbers  shall  be  men  and 
women,  and  Jesus  will  be  the  architect,  and  no 
man  shall  dare  to  intrude  upon  his  work." 

At  that  instant  Mildred  came  running  from 
the  door,  and,  seeing  the  havoc  which  he  had 
wrought,  gave  a  cry  of  distress  and  fell  upon 
her  knees  on  the  dead  grass  before  the  empty 
frame. 

"Oh,  David,  what  have  you  done?    What  have 


Rift  in  the  Lute  239 

you  done?"  she  cried,  disconsolately.  "You  have 
ruined  the  splendid  picture  over  which  you  have 
worked  so  long." 

At  her  call  John  Nobleman  joined  them  and  a 
moment  later  Grandfather  Nobleman  came  has- 
tening out,  limping  more  than  formerly,  for  his 
Haun's  Mill  wound  troubled  him  greatly.  They 
stood  looking  in  wonder  at  the  empty  frame. 

"What  does  this  mean?"  demanded  John  No- 
bleman, accusingly,  a  challenge  in  his  voice. 
"What  new  freak  has  seized  you?" 

Unabashed,  his  brother  ran  his  fingers  through 
his  hair  with  his  accustomed  gesture,  and  an- 
swered, "Too  much  Brigham — if  you  must  know. 
I  started  out  to  paint  the  temple,  but  it  became 
a  portrait — too  good  a  portrait.  I  am  glad  it  is 
off  my  hands." 

John  turned  upon  his  heel,  evidently  too  angry 
to  trust  his  voice,  and  strode  into  the  house.  David 
stooped  and  tenderly  helped  Mildred  to  rise.  He 
led  her  sobbing  to  the  house. 

"Don't  weep,  little  sister,"  he  begged.  "I  had 
to  do  it.  Some  day  you  will  understand  why  I 
painted  as  I  did,  and  why  I  destroyed  the  pic- 
ture." 

A  moment  later  the  face  of  French  LaBarron 
appeared  at  the  door.  He  flashed  his  white  teeth 


240  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

in  a  smile  of  greeting  and  beckoned  to  John  No- 
bleman. Without  a  word  John  joined  him  and 
they  went  away.  Their  pleasant  evening  had 
been  ruined.  Indeed  there  seemed  to  be  no  more 
pleasant  evenings  in  the  Nobleman  home. 

After  John  had  gone,  William  Nobleman 
stood  for  a  long  time,  his  fine  old  face  shadowed 
with  melancholy  thoughts  and  the  look  of  second 
sight  in  his  eyes.  Finally  he  turned  to  David  and 
said,  "You  painted  the  picture  too  well,  David. 
This  man  Brigham  is  assuming  the  position  of  a 
dictator  in  a  church  that  God  designed  to  be  dem- 
ocratic to  the  extent  that  it  is  not  theocratic — in 
which  common  consent  should  rule  under  the 
divine  guidance.  He  is  maturing  his  plans  to 
elevate  himself  to  the  position  of  president  of 
the  church,  and  will  do  so  as  soon  as  he  gathers 
the  reins  in  his  hand  securely  enough  to  suit  his 
purposes.  Without  the  prophetic  gift  or  calling 
he  will  usurp  the  prophetic  office,  or  try  to  do  so, 
to  the  exclusion  of  the  one  properly  called  and 
set  apart  to  that  place,  who  will  yet  be  revealed 
in  the  due  time  of  the  Lord." 

The  old  man  paused  a  moment  and  then  con- 
tinued, "Yes,  and  he  will  privately  bring  in  dam- 
nable heresies,  even  as  Peter  predicted.  I  fore- 
see that  great  shame  and  loss  will  come  to  the 


Rift  in  the  Lute  241 

people  because  of  him.  Families  will  be  divided, 
as  ours  is  being  divided,  and  that  will  be  but  a 
type  of  the  church.  Blessed  are  those  who  shall 
stand  firm  and  maintain  their  integrity  in  the 
times  that  are  before  us.  I  shall  not  live  to  see 
the  full  development  of  these  things,  nor  will 
your  grandmother,  but  you  will,  David,  and  you 
will  stand  firm,  for  you  have  an  inkling  of  the 
situation.  But  your  brother  John  is  blinded,  and 
it  is  useless  to  reason  with  him." 


TT— 15 


242  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Chapter  Eighteen 

AN  APOSTOLIC  SUMMONS 

THE  thin  edge  of  dissension  had  entered  be- 
tween the  two  brothers ;  the  wedge  that  was 
to  split  families  asunder  and  scatter  the 
church  during  the  "dark  and  cloudy  day."  The 
rapidly  occurring  events  of  that  fall  and  winter 
of  1845-46  soon  brought  matters  to  a  crisis  in  the 
Nobleman  home. 

It  was  only  a  few  days  after  the  incident  of  the 
ruined  picture  when  David,  returning  from  the 
temple,  passed  through  the  rose  garden  and  en- 
tered the  home  from  the  rear.  His  attention  was 
attracted  by  the  sound  of  conversation. 

"Who  is  here?"  he  asked  of  his  grandfather. 

"Brigham  Young,"  the  older  man  answered, 
and  continued  uneasily,  "He  has  been  talking 
with  Mildred  for  an  hour." 

Without  hesitation  David  walked  on  to  the 
veranda.  He  found  Mildred  seated  on  a  corner, 
and  by  her  side,  in  such  a  way  as  to  prevent  her 
withdrawal,  sat  Brigham  Young,  talking  to  her 
in  an  earnest  but  smiling  manner.  The  girl 
looked  disturbed.  Her  woman's  intuition  had 


An  Apostolic  Summons  243 

warned  her  in  some  subtle  way.  But  her  rever- 
ence for  a  supposed  high  and  holy  spiritual  leader 
was  in  conflict  with  her  intuitions.  She  heard  the 
warning  but  hesitated  to  accept  it. 

"Mr.  Young/'  said  David,  bowing,  "pardon 
me  for  disturbing  your  conversation,  but  my  sis- 
ter has  a  very  important  engagement  at  once.  I 
am  sure  you  will  forgive  her  if  she  leaves  you." 

The  brow  of  the  visitor  darkened,  and  he  hesi- 
tated. The  girl  leaped  to  her  feet  with  apparent 
relief,  and  having  made  an  apology,  withdrew. 
Brigham  stared  hard  at  the  intruder  with  min- 
gled insolence  and  anger  in  his  glance,  but 
neither  spoke  further.  And  a  moment  later 
David  joined  his  sister. 

"Where  to,  David?"  she  said.  "Where  is  this 
engagement?" 

"In  King  John's  chambers,"  he  replied,  gayly. 
"I  made  the  date  for  you  with  the  sunshine  and 
breezes." 

"But  what  will  Brother  Young  think?" 
"I  don't  know;  I'll  not  attempt  to  say  what 
he  thinks  nor  what  I  think.  I  am  going  thus  far 
by  faith  and  not  by  sight — by  intuition  and  not 
by  reason.  But  promise  me,  Mildred,  never  trust 
yourself  again  in  that  man's  presence  alone.  Give 


244  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

no  heed  to  any  advances  that  he  may  make  in  the 
name  of  religion  or  under  any  other  guise." 

They  took  their  way  along  the  river  bank  and 
up  the  deep  ravine  to  the  secluded  cloister  among 
the  rocks  and  trees,  known  by  them  as  Prince 
David's  Chambers,  or  King  John's  Chamber,  as 
David  sometimes  called  it. 

Clambering  up  the  rocky  side  of  the  falls  they 
went  to  the  summit  and  sat  down  side  by  side 
where  they  could  look  down  into  the  tree-shel- 
tered, rock-walled  chamber,  out  over  the  river 
valley  through  the  branches  of  the  trees,  and  up 
into  the  blue  heavens. 

David  sighed  happily.  "Out  here  in  the 
woods,"  he  said,  "every  care  leaves  one.  We  get 
a  spiritual  quickening  here." 

He  was  silent  a  moment  and  continued,  "I 
wonder  if  all  men  are  so  sensitive  to  color.  I 
presume  not,  or  they  would  talk  more  about  it, 
though  no  doubt  all  are  affected  by  it.  But 
sometimes  masses  of  color  in  nature  seem  to  seize 
me  suddenly  and  rivet  my  every  attention.  They 
run  through  my  being  like  music.  There  is  the 
same  harmony  in  color  that  there  is  in  music. 
The  two  are  related;  some  day  their  relation  will 
be  studied  out,  no  doubt;  the  chromatic  scale  and 


An  Apostolic  Summons  245 

the  musical  scale  are  certainly  in  some  sort  of 
accord. 

"Look  now  at  the  delicacy  of  color  in  those 
bare  branches  of  the  trees  outlined  against  the 
blue  sky.  See  those  great  masses  of  white  clouds 
all  through  the  sky.  How  ravishingly  deep  blue 
the  sky  back  of  them  in  contrast !  A  divine  artist 
piled  those  clouds.  How  white  they  are,  as  clean 
and  pure  as  an  Easter  lily;  and  how  cool  and 
clean  and  blue  the  sky.  Why,  you  can  look  right 
into  it  and  up  and  up,  immeasurably,  to  God. 
It  seems  that  we  can  see  into  heaven  from  here." 

He  was  silent,  and  Mildred  did  not  speak,  for 
she  loved  to  hear  him  talk  when  he  was  in  such 
a  mood.  Again  he  continued : 

"I  had  a  peculiar  experience  at  one  time  in 
these  woods  alone.  I  cannot  describe  it  so  that 
you  can  appreciate  it.  But  to  me  it  was  very 
real.  I  was  wrapped  in  contemplation,  and  it 
seemed  to  me  that  my  spirit  became  independent 
of  my  body,  or  was  quickened  in  some  way  so  as 
to  come  in  touch  with  all  animate  things  about 
me.  It  seemed  that  every  leaf  and  twig  and 
blade  of  grass,  every  butterfly  and  bird,  every 
flower  and  fern  became  vocal,  and  I  could  hear 
them  praising  God. 

"Even  inanimate  matter  became  vocal  and  I 


246  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

could  realize  its  struggle  upward  towards  life 
and  expression.  I  sensed,  felt,  heard,  the  strug- 
gle for  life.  I  saw,  too,  that  all  these  things  were 
governed  by  law,  and  were  subject  to  limita- 
tion ;  and  I  saw  their  relationship  to  other  things, 
the  stars  for  instance,  how  that  all  creation  is 
bound  together  by  law  and  related  and  interre- 
lated. I  never  before  sensed  so  clearly  the  unity 
of  all  things  and  the  overlordship  of  God." 

The  two  talked  for  a  long  time,  and  returned 
homeward  rested  and  strengthened  from  their 
forest  vigil.  But  the  next  day  there  was  re- 
newed trouble.  Coming  as  before  from  the 
town,  David  found  the  family  engaged  in  some 
sort  of  council.  Mildred  held  in  her  hand  a  note 
which  she  was  regarding  with  troubled  counte- 
nance. 

"What  have  we  here?"  demanded  David  as  he 
entered. 

Mildred  looked  up.  "It  is  a  summons  from 
Brother  Brigham  Young  to  appear  at  his  office," 
she  answered.  "He  wishes  to  see  me  alone.  What 
can  it  be?" 

"You  shall  not  go,"  replied  David  positively. 
"Certainly  not  alone." 

"But  I  must  go,"  the  girl  answered.  "We  have 


An  Apostolic  Summons  247 

been  told  much  of  late  to  obey  counsel,  and  this 
request  comes  directly  from  Brother  Brigham." 

"Say  rather  command,"  retorted  David,  with 
unaccustomed  shortness.  "And  do  not  brother 
this  Brigham  too  much  till  you  have  learned  the 
nature  of  his  business." 

"David,  you  are  far  too  suspicious,"  remon- 
strated John.  "Can  not  you  trust  our  own 
churchmen?  What  earthly  harm  can  there  be  in 
her  answering  Brother  Brigham's  request?  Prob- 
ably he  wishes  to  see  her  about  some  temple  work 
among  the  women,  or  something  of  the  kind." 

"If  it  is  so  innocent,  I  must  hear  it  myself," 
scoffed  David.  "I  am  suddenly  become  as  curi- 
ous as  a  woman.  Get  your  hat,  little  sister,  and 
we  will  go  together  and  investigate  this  matter." 

"I  insist  that  you  are  too  suspicious." 

"And  I  that  you  are  too  blind.  Do  you  remem- 
ber what  the  fool  said  to  King  Lear  about  the 
geographical  location  of  a  man's  nose  in  the  mid- 
dle of  his  face?" 

"I  don't  remember.    No." 

"Well,  he  said  that  a  man's  nose  is  in  the  mid- 
dle of  his  face  to  keep  his  eyes  on  either  side  of 
his  nose,  so  that  what  he  cannot  smell  out  he  may 
spy  out." 

He  was  stubborn  in  his  decision  and  in  the 


248  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

end  went  away  with  Mildred  to  the  office  of 
Brigham  Young,  now  occupying  a  tower  room 
in  the  temple. 

As  they  approached  the  door  they  were  halted 
by  a  sentry.  David  recognized  him  as  Porter 
Rockwell,  a  man  for  whom  he  entertained  a 
profound  detestation,  a  man  thus  described  by  a 
certain  historian:  "In  stature  Rockwell  was 
small,  but  heavy  and  compactly  built.  His  eyes 
were  little  blue  peepers,  his  features  small,  and 
his  florid  face  always  wore  an  expression  of  min- 
gled disgust  and  contempt,  as  if  something  were 
constantly  offending  his  olfactory  nerves.  He 
usually  dressed  in  Brigham's  homespun,  and  he 
wore  a  faded  felt  hat  turned  up  at  both  sides." 

The  sentinel  halted  them.  "Have  you  the  pass- 
word?" he  inquired. 

"Yes,"  answered  David,  looking  squarely  at 
him.  "I  have  every  password  that  is  needed 
among  brethren  in  any  honest  business." 

"The  girl  may  pass,"  replied  Rockwell;  "she 
has  an  engagement  with  Brother  Young.  You 
will  wait  here,  please." 

Pushing  past  him,  David  swung  the  door  open 
and  walked  in,  followed  by  Mildred. 

At  a  paper-littered  desk  sat  Brigham  Young 


An  Apostolic  Summons  2491 

and  one  of  his  associates.  He  looked  up  from 
his  work  and  stared  at  David. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  Brother  Nobleman,"  he 
said  at  length;  "have  you  some  business  with  us?" 

David  removed  his  hat,  tossed  his  brown  locks 
back  from  his  high  forehead,  and  replied  coolly, 
"I  believe  not.  Your  business,  I  understand,  is 
with  my  sister  Mildred." 

Brigham  bowed  smilingly  to  the  girl,  and  in- 
vited her  to  be  seated.  Then  he  turned  again 
frowningly  to  David  and  said,  "We  wish  to  talk 
with  Miss  Mildred  alone.  You  will  be  good 
enough  to  retire?" 

The  two  looked  squarely  at  each  other  for  a 
moment,  but  David  did  not  flinch.  "I  am  here 
by  her  permission,"  he  answered.  "I  prefer  to 


remain." 


Wrath  was  gathering  on  the  apostolic  brow, 
but  Brigham  restrained  himself,  and  said  again, 
"Our  business  is  with  your  sister.  It  is  of  a  pri- 
vate nature.  It  does  not  concern  you." 

The  young  man  answered,  "You  can  have  no 
business  of  a  legitimate  nature  with  my  sister 
that  I  may  not  hear  discussed.  I  shall  most  cer- 
tainly not  leave  the  room  until  she  is  quite  ready 
to  depart." 

The  girl  sat  with  blanched  cheeks.    She  twisted 


250  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

her  fingers  together  nervously,  and  with  her  eyes 
begged  David  to  remain.  Throwing  off  his  mask 
of  politeness  Brigham  struck  the  desk  with  his 
fist.  "Young  man,"  he  shouted,  leveling  a  finger 
at  David,  "you  will  do  well  to  learn  to  obey 
counsel." 

"I  have  already  learned  to  do  that,"  the  youth 
replied,  "but  I  have  taken  Jesus  Christ  as  the 
man  of  my  counsel." 

"You  will  surely  lose  your  membership  in  the 
church,"  warned  Brigham. 

"Even  so,  I  may  save  my  soul." 

The  autocrat  struck  the  table  again  viciously, 
and  went  on  in  a  threatening  tone,  "If  you  per- 
sist in  your  attitude  of  rebellion  this  will  not  be  a 
safe  town  for  you  to  live  in.  Look  to  yourself! 
I  will  not  be  responsible  for  your  safety!" 

A  smile  flitted  across  the  face  of  the  younger 
man.  "I  fear  not  him  that  has  power  to  kill  my 
body,  but  rather  him  that  would  cast  both  body 
and  soul  into  hell,"  he  answered. 

Without  another  word  Brigham  whirled  back 
to  his  desk,  turning  his  back  upon  them.  David 
looked  at  him  a  moment,  almost  quizzically,  then 
turned,  and  donning  his  hat,  bowed  to  Mildred 
to  precede  him  out  of  the  door. 


An  Apostolic  Summons  251 

"Go  down  the  street  one  block,"  he  whispered 
to  her,  "then  turn  and  wait  for  me." 

He  paused  outside  the  door  and  engaged  the 
sentinel  in  conversation  until  he  saw  Mildred 
turn  and  knew  that  she  was  watching.  Then  he 
turned  his  back  on  the  sentinel  and  joined  her. 
They  turned  the  corner  sharply  and  hastened 
home. 

"Why  did  you  have  me  walk  ahead  in  such  a 
funny  way?"  the  girl  asked. 

He  laughed  gayly,  and  replied,  "That  was 
what  our  military  friends  would  call  a  strategic 
withdrawal." 

But  he  soon  became  conscious  that  he  was  a 
marked  man.  Former  friends  turned  from  him, 
apparently  reluctantly,  but  as  though  under  com- 
mand or  duress.  Little  groups  engaged  in  pleas- 
ant conversation  suddenly  fell  silent  and  dis- 
persed when  he  approached.  A  new  word  began 
to  trail  him.  It  was  the  word  apostate* 

And  there  were  even  more  painful  experiences 
falling  to  his  lot,  as  to  the  lot  of  others  who  had 
dared  to  oppose  the  rising  spiritual  czar  of  the 
future  western  empire.  One  of  these  was  best 
described  by  French  LaBarron. 

He  met  William  Nobleman  on  the  hill  and 


252  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

halted  him.  Looking  cautiously  about  him,  he 
said: 

"David  meet  de  whittling  squad.  Dey  whittle 
de  steek  an'  try  whittle  heem  out  of  de  town." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  asked  the  older  man. 
"What  is  this  about  whittling  David  out  of  town? 
Is  this  some  of  your  jokes,  LaBarron?" 

"Is  it  de  joke  I  mak?  For  what  I  joke  about 
David?  You  not  know  de  whittle  out  of  town 
beezness.  What  you  call  it — de  gang — of  men 
meet  de  apostate — he  is  so  call — and  wit'  de  so 
sharp  bowie  knife  all  together  whittle  de  stick  in 
his  direction  an'  keep  heem  on  de  move  ver'  fas 
out  of  town.  He  come  not  ver'  often  back  for  de 
keek,  you  call  heem — de  hint  suffice." 

"Good  heavens!  Is  that  kind  of  work  really 
going  on?  And  did  they  try  that  on  David?" 

"I  have  said  et." 

"What  did  the  boy  do?  Where  is  he?" 

"Zat  iss  de  joke.  He  jes  lift  de  haid  lak'  he 
do,  and  smile — all  serene  an'  he  say,  'You  mus 
tink  mee  de  poor  steek,  to  be  whittle*  away  so 
easy  lak  dat.'  An'  he  walk  right  toward  de  knife 
an'  dey  all  part  and  let  heem  walk  troo,  an'  he  go 
home  whistling.  No  one  touch  heem  wit'  de 
knife — no  one  follow  heem." 

William  Nobleman's  old  eyes  lighted  with  a 


An  Apostolic  Summons  253 

fleeting  gleam.  "That  was  David,"  he  said;  "he 
never  would  ride  in  the  Legion,  but  he  was  as 
brave  as  any  of  them.  But  who  ordered  this  das- 
tardly deed?" 

LaBarron  looked  about  him  again,  and  step- 
ping to  the  old  man's  side  whispered  a  word. 

"Are  you  sure?  Are  you  telling  me1  the 
truth?" 

The  Frenchman  stepped  back.  "Did  I  evair 
tell  you  de  lie?"  he  asked. 

"Never,  LaBarron,  never.  But  you  are  sure  it 
was  Brigham " 

The  Frenchman  checked  him  with  a  gesture. 
"Say  not  de  name,"  he  said.  "De  var'  fields  an* 
vineyards  have  ear.  But  I  know  vat  I  say.  Nef- 
fer  min'  how  I  know." 

He  paused  a  moment  and  continued,  "Would 
you  know  de  proposition  he  would  mak'  to  mad- 
emoiselle, de  sister?" 

William  Nobleman  looked  at  the  man  again 
keenly.  "Yes,"  he  answered. 

The  Frenchman  stepped  to  his  side  again  and 
whispered  a  half  dozen  sentences  in  his  ear.  Wil- 
liam Nobleman  started  and  his  face  paled,  and 
then  grew  black  with  unaccustomed  passion. 

"Once  more,  LaBarron,  do  you  know  this  to 
be  the  truth?" 


254  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

The  Frenchman  laughed.  "Shall  you  require 
de  oath,  de  grip,  from  your  frien'?" 

"No,"  the  other  answered  hotly.  "Curse  the 
oaths  and  grips.  There  has  been  too  much  in- 
trigue here  of  late." 

The  Frenchman  laid  a  hand  on  the  other's  arm. 
"Have  a  care,"  he  admonished.  "Counsel  wit' 
Monsieur  David.  Let  not  de  tongue  betray  de 
haid." 

John  Nobleman  refused  to  believe  the  story, 
and  when  David  came  tramping  in  late  that  night 
from  an  excursion  to  the  woods  he  upbraided  him 
for  his  suspicions  and  unbelief. 

"Take  care  lest  you  become  an  apostate,"  he 
warned  David. 

"One  can  only  apostatize  when  he  abandons 
truth  and  accepts  error  instead,"  replied  David. 
"Have  a  care  for  yourself,  brother,  lest  under 
the  insidious  leadership  of  others  you  permit  the 
brand  of  apostasy  to  burn  your  own  soul.  Now 
is  the  time  to  stand  by  the  old  truths,  to  be  guided 
by  the  three  books." 

"David,  you  harp  too  much  on  the  books. 
Brother  Brigham  tells  us  to  go  by  the  living  ora- 
cles. Are  you  become  a  Methodist,  with  nothing 
but  books  to  talk  of?  Where  then  is  the  spirit  of 
revelation?" 


An  Apostolic  Summons  255 

"The  spirit  of  revelation  will  lead  in  harmony 
with  the  books,  and  if  we  walk  not  by  the  books 
there  will  soon  enough  be  no  more  divine  revela- 
tion, but  only  false  and  evil  ones,"  David  an- 
swered. 

"Brother  Brigham  can  explain  it  all,"  said 
John  eagerly.  "I  had  a  talk  with  him  to-day." 

"I  do  not  care  for  his  explanations,"  replied 
David.  "His  arguments  are  too  personal.  One 
of  them  passed  through  my  hat  rim  as  I  came  in 
the  back  way  to-night." 

He  removed  his  hat  and  showed  a  bullet  hole 
through  the  rim. 

John  looked  troubled  and  angry,  but  persisted, 
"The  work  of  some  Gentile  assassin!  It  would 
go  hard  with  him  if  I  were  to  catch  him.  But 
you  must  put  the  blame  upon  your  own  brother." 

"Brother  me  not  to  Brigham,"  retorted  David. 
"Have  we  fellowship  with  seducers?" 

The  older  brother  was  clearly  angry,  but  re- 
strained himself  with  an  effort.  "You  are  too 
suspicious,  too  harsh,"  he  remonstrated.  "Brother 
Brigham  explained  it  all  to  me.  He  wished  to 
see  Mildred  on  an  innocent  matter;  but  he  re- 
sented your  suspicions.  He  wished  to  test  her. 
And  those  ruffians  with  knives  were  not  acting 
under  his  orders." 


256  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

David  shrugged  his  shoulders  hopelessly.  He 
marveled  at  the  singular  power  this  man  had  ob- 
tained over  his  brother,  and  the,  to  him,  evident 
darkness  that  had  fallen  upon  his  brother's  mind. 
He  was  yet  to  learn  how  fully  that  strange  power 
was  to  be  exercised  over  many  capable  and  good 
men,  to  their  ruin  and  shame. 

"You  will  yet  see,"  he  contended,  "that  evil 
will  come  out  of  this  man's  leadership.  I  know 
his  purpose  with  Mildred,  if  you  do  not.  And 
I  know  that  with  this  Brigham  in  power  the  lives 
of  those  whom  he  may  choose  to  brand  as  apos- 
tates will  be  worth  little.  Things  are  not  as  they 
were  in  this  church  under  Brother  Joseph,  when 
virtue  and  truth  and  mercy  and  brotherly  charity 
were  daily  watchwords.  I  greatly  dislike  these 
whisperings  I  observe,  these  grips  and  signs  and 
oaths,  these  secret  mysteries  we  feel  but  cannot 
grasp.  I  love  the  old-time  gospel  that  was  open 
and  free  as  air  and  sunshine,  whether  in  grove  or 
temple.  That  was  a  gospel  of  simplicity  and 
directness,  complete  and  sufficient  in  itself.  God 
works  not  in  secret  chambers.  But  already,  as 
we  were  warned  in  Ohio,  evil  is  at  work,  in  secret 
chambers.  What,  oh,  what  will  come  out  of  this 
travail?" 


An  Apostolic  Summons  257 

"Are  you  quite  done  with  your  sermon?"  asked 
the  older  brother,  caustically. 

"Yes,  quite  done  for  the  present.  I  seem  not 
to  win  converts  in  my  own  home." 

"Perhaps  you  would  take  to  yourself  the  state- 
ment, 'A  prophet  is  not  without  honor  save  in  his 
own  country  and  among  his  own  people,'  "  gibed 
the  other. 

But  the  younger  brother  did  not  reply.  He 
marveled  at  the  change  come  over  his  idolized 
older  brother.  It  cut  him  to  the  heart  that  their 
old-time  tender  comradeship  should  be  so  strained 
and  perverted. 

On  the  other  hand,  John  was  deeply  troubled. 
He  had  the  noble  trait  of  loyalty  to  a  very  marked 
degree.  His  leaders  used  this  trait  to  their  own 
purposes,  and  its  very  strength  and  purity  be- 
trayed him  and  bound  him.  A  soldier  at  heart, 
he  was  capable  of  exacting  obedience  from  those 
under  his  charge,  and  he  rendered  it  too  readily 
to  those  above  him. 

His  brother's  conduct  seemed  to  him  per- 
verse, willful;  the  very  spirit  of  apostasy,  treason, 
and  rebellion,  which  Brigham  declared  it  to  be. 
Was  David  going  over  to  the  enemies  of  his  own 
people?  In  that  thought  he  suffered  not  less 
than  his  brother. 

TT— 16 


258  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Chapter  Nineteen 

THE  WEDDING  AND  THE  FAREWELL 

IT  WAS  a  strange  spectacle  that  riveted  the 
attention  of  David  and  Mildred  as  they  stood 
upon  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi  and  shiv- 
ered in  the  raw  winds  of  February.  The  banks 
and  the  streets  leading  to  the  river  were  crowded 
with  covered  wagons,  oxen,  horses,  cattle,  and 
all  the  impediments  of  overland  travel  in  those 
pioneer  days. 

Lines  of  boats  of  every  description  were  ply- 
ing busily  back  and  forth  across  the  mile  and  a 
half  of  dark  waters  that  separated  Nauvoo  from 
the  Iowa  shore.  There  were  skiffs,  flatboats,  keel 
boats,  ferryboats,  and  steamboats — a  veritable 
fleet  of  water  craft. 

Men,  women,  and  children  were  crowding  into 
the  smaller  boats.  Prairie  schooners  drawn  by 
oxen  or  horses  and  followed  by  cattle  and  extra 
draft  animals  were  loaded  upon  flatboats  and 
others  of  the  larger  vessels  to  be  ferried  across 
the  Father  of  Waters  and  set  down  on  the  west- 
ern shore. 

Men  were  shouting,  dogs  barking,  whistles 


Wedding  and  Farewell  259 

sounding,  children  laughing,  women  weeping, 
and  at  intervals  there  was  the  sound  of  a  hymn 
or  a  prayer.  The  exodus  had  begun. 

John  Nobleman  was  in  the  thickest  of  the 
work;  and  David  gave  a  hand  wherever  he  saw 
one  in  distress  or  in  need.  In  the  confusion  of 
departure  his  attitude  was  forgotten,  and  some 
welcomed  his  help  who  a  short  time  before  had 
hated  him,  believing  him  to  bear  the  brand  of  the 
apostate. 

This  thing  had  been  going  on  for  some  time. 
And  gradually  it  had  become  very  evident  that 
in  the  Nobleman  home  there  must  soon  come  an 
understanding  and  a  definite  cleavage.  John 
Nobleman  had  fully  settled  in  his  mind  that  he 
would  follow  the  fortunes  of  Brigham  Young. 
The  westward  pioneer  movement  appealed  to 
him  powerfully.  The  appeal  was  so  insistent  that 
he  had  no  feeling  left  to  analyze  spiritual  mat- 
ters. David  knew  that  he  could  not  change  John. 

On  the  other  hand,  David  Nobleman  had  care- 
fully analyzed  the  situation,  and  guided  by  his 
own  spiritual  directions  and  the  intuitions  of  his 
grandfather,  he  had  definitely  rejected  the 
leadership  of  Brigham  Young,  and  was  deter- 
mined to  have  no  part  in  the  recession  from  the 
moral  and  doctrinal  standards  of  the  church  that 


260  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

he  felt  sure  was  soon  to  follow,  if  indeed  it  had 
not  already  begun.  John  Nobleman  knew  full 
well  the  quiet  force  of  his  younger  brother's  de- 
termination. He  knew  that  he  could  not  move 
him  from  his  decision,  yet  he  hoped  that  some- 
thing might  yet  happen  to  change  his  attitude,  or 
that  he  might  in  time  even  be  forced  to  join  the 
exodus. 

Thus  matters  progressed,  with  frequent  clashes 
and  many  sad  and  sober  discussions  of  the  situa- 
tion. The  splendid  family  unity  depicted  in  the 
opening  chapter  of  this  story  was  shattered.  The 
final  decision  that  Mildred  should  reach  remained 
a  matter  of  conjecture.  She  listened  sadly  to  the 
discussions  but  did  not  express  her  opinion. 

On  the  fifteenth  day  of  February  Brigham 
Young  and  his  leading  associates  crossed  the 
river  to  the  Iowa  side,  and  on  the  17th  those  who 
had  previously  been  encamped  at  Sugar  Creek 
awaiting  his  arrival  broke  camp  and  the  west- 
ward journey  began. 

After  this  date  the  spirit  of  John  Nobleman 
became  even  more  restless  than  formerly.  He 
still  assisted  the  stream  of  emigrants  that  con- 
tinued to  flow  across  the  river,  now  crossing  upon 
the  ice,  as  the  weather  had  become  extremely  in- 
clement. But  while  there  were  powerful  forces 


Wedding  and  Farewell  261 

calling  him  to  the  trail  there  were  strong  ties  that 
bound  him  to  Nauvoo. 

One  of  these  ties,  however,  was  broken  when 
in  the  midst  of  that  trying  winter  the  gentle  spirit 
of  Grandmother  Nobleman  took  its  departure, 
almost  without  warning,  and  without  struggle. 
One  moment  troubled  with  fear  of  the  threaten- 
ing mob  violence,  which  seemed  to  have  cast  a 
shadow  over  all  her  life,  blind,  deaf,  bedridden; 
the  next  moment  she  was  at  peace,  free,  beyond 
the  violence  of  man. 

They  buried  her  in  the  old  cemetery,  happy  in 
the  thought  that  come  what  might  she  would  not 
again  be  driven.  This  event  changed  every  as- 
pect of  the  home  life,  and  that  fact  John  Noble- 
man seemed  the  first  to  perceive;  at  least  he  was 
the  first  to  comment  upon  it. 

Turning  from  the  side  of  the  open  grave  he 
slipped  his  arm  about  the  shoulders  of  the  weep- 
ing Mildred  and  led  her  away.  They  walked  a 
long  time  in  silence.  The  girl  was  sorely  dis- 
tressed by  the  death  of  the  woman  who  had  come 
to  her  rescue  in  the  time  of  her  greatest  need. 

But  as  they  walked  homeward  John  Nobleman 
comforted  her  until  her  tears  ceased  to  flow,  and 
finally  as  they  entered  the  home  gate,  he  whis- 
pered, in  a  strained  yet  eager  voice,  "Mildred, 


262  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

do  you  remember  the  new  name  that  I  gave  you 
.  that  Fourth  of  July  nearly  four  years  ago?" 

A  flood  of  rich  color  sprang  into  the  pale  face 
of  the  girl.  She  dropped  her  head  so  that  he 
could  not  see  her  face,  as  she  answered,  "Yes,  I 
have  never  forgotten  it." 

"Then  repeat  it,"  he  insisted,  and  she  did  so, 
with  a  deepening  of  color. 

"I  must  talk  with  you  about  a  serious  matter," 
he  continued,  "but  first  I  must  talk  with  David." 
So  they  parted  and  he  sought  his  interview  with 
David. 

Without  waste  of  words,  he  came  directly  to 
the  point.  "David,"  he  said,  "of  late  there  has 
come  a  division  of  sentiment  between  us,  but  still 
none  the  less  we  love  each  other,  and  we  must 
continue  to  play  fair  with  each  other.  Are  you 
agreed  to  that?" 

"Why,  most  certainly,  brother  mine,"  cried 
David,  his  generous  spirit  springing  to  meet  his 
brother's  advances.  "We  could  never  do  other- 
wise. Our  differences  are  differences  of  the  head. 
We  must  not  let  the  heart  become  involved." 

But  John  Nobleman  shook  his  head.  "The 
heart  is  already  involved,"  he  answered.  "I  told 
Mildred  four  years  ago  that  this  brother  and 


Wedding  and  Farewell  263 

sister  business  would  play  out  some  day.  Well, 
it  has  played  out.  That's  all. 

"Grandmother  is  gone  now.  There  is  no  other 
woman  in  the  home.  Whatever  we  may  say, 
Mildred  is  not  our  sister.  And  I  for  one  have  no 
desire  to  think  of  her  as  a  sister.  And  I  fear  that 
you  are  much  like  myself  in  that  matter.  Now 
this  is  my  proposition :  One  of  us  should  become 
more  to  her  than  a  brother.  One  of  us  should  be 
in  a  position  to  protect  her  arid  shield  her  from 
any  reproach.  If  I  have  surmised  correctly,  you 
do  not  regard  her  with  an  affection  exactly 
brotherly.  If  I  am  correct,  and  you  are  ready  to 
take  the  more  sacred  responsibility,  well  and 
good.  I  am  then  free  and  can  take  my  departure 
for  the  West  with  a  free  mind.  What  do  you 
say,  David?" 

The  face  of  the  younger  man  had  grown  pale 
during  this  conversation,  and  now  tears  gathered 
in  his  eyes.  He  put  his  hand  upon  the  arm  of  his 
bigger  and  older  brother  with  an  affectionate 
pressure. 

"That  is  like  you,  John  Nobleman,"  he  said. 
"You  would  give  me  every  advantage,  and 
quietly  slip  away.  But  would  it  be  like  me  to 
accept  such  a  sacrifice?" 

"Perhaps  not,"  replied  the  older  man;  "no, 


264  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

most  certainly  not.  But  then  you  have  been  with 
Mildred  constantly  for  years,  while  I  have  been 
away.  I  thought  at  one  time  that  she  loved  me 
more  than  she  would  naturally  love  a  brother, 
but  all  that  may  have  changed  during  my  ab- 
sence. Quite  likely  it  has  changed.  She  has  been 
with  you  a  great  deal,  and  I  have  noticed  her 
tender  regard  for  you.  It  is  only  natural  that  it 
should  be  so.  Come,  David,  speak  to  her  and 
have  the  matter  arranged,  so  that  I  may  be  free 
to  go." 

Even  while  the  tears  welled  up  in  his  eyes, 
laughter  ran  over  his  features,  as  David  an- 
swered, "Are  we  not  a  little  presumptuous  thus 
to  proffer  each  other  the  heart  of  a  maiden?  I 
have  heard  that  such  estate  is  of  uncertain  tenure 
at  the  best.  Possibly  she  will  have  nothing  of 
either  of  us  excepting  as  brothers.  Or  if  either, 
surely  she  is  the  one  to  choose;  not  you  or  I. 
Come,  now,  if  you  must  have  the  matter  adjusted 
before  the  sun  goes  down,  let  us  both  speak  to 
her.  It  may  not  be  usual  for  two  to  go  wooing 
at  one  and  the  same  time,  but  all  things  are  un- 
usual in  these  times  and  places.  We  must  soon 
have  an  understanding.  We  cannot  go  on  as  we 


are." 


'But  I  do  not  feel  free  to  speak  to  her  until  I 


Wedding  and  Farewell  265 

know  how  you  feel  towards  her,"  insisted  the 
older  brother.  "And  you  have  never  told  me." 

"No,  I  believe  that  is  so,"  replied  David, 
slowly,  "and  I  am  not  likely  to  do  so,  either. 
But  after  all,  it  does  not  matter  how  you  feel  or 
how  I  feel,  but  how  Mildred  feels.  Her  hap- 
piness must  be  the  first  consideration.  Listen  to 
reason,  which  in  this  instance  surely  is  all  on  my 
side.  We  are  men,  and  either  of  us  can  hide  a 
wounded  heart  if  need  be.  But  Mildred,"  he 
seemed  to  linger  lovingly  on  the  name,  "Mildred 
must  not  suffer.  She  must  be  free  to  choose  and 
her  happiness  must  be  our  first  consideration. 
Come,  let  us  speak  with  her." 

So  it  came  about  that  the  two  brothers  sought 
the  foster  sister,  and  David  as  spokesman  placed 
the  matter  before  her  in  a  few  frank  words. 

"It  is  a  shame,  little  sister,"  he  concluded, 
"that  events  should  force  us  to  thrust  our  atten- 
tion upon  you  in  this  way;  two  big  fellows  com- 
pelling you  to  make  a  choice  between  us  or  to 
reject  us  both  flatly.  And  I  have  proposed  this 
plan  only  because  of  the  situation  and  because 
I  think  that  I  know  some  things  that  Brother 
John  does  not  know.  I  think  that  I  know  what 
your  choice  will  be  and  that  it  will  not  be  a  mat- 
ter of  deciding  on  the  spur  of  the  moment  either. 


266  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

Remember,  too,  that  things  cannot  go  on  as  they 
have  been  in  the  past ;  we  have  reached  the  turn- 
ing point.  John  is  determined  to  go,  and  I  am 
equally  determined  to  stay;  we  cannot  agree 
upon  our  policies  in  relation  to  church  matters." 

The  girl  dropped  her  head  sadly  and  said, 
"David,  my  head  says  that  you  are  right.  All 
that  you  have  argued  for  in  regard  to  the  church 
I  believe." 

But  lifting  her  head  proudly  she  continued, 
"But  while  my  head  says  you  are  right,  my  heart 
is  with  John  Nobleman.  Tell  me,  David  dear, 
what  shall  I  do?  What  ought  I  do ?" 

Every  tinge  of  color  seemed  to  fade  from 
David's  face,  leaving  it  marble  white.  He  re- 
moved his  hat  and  ran  his  hand  over  his  brow, 
suddenly  grown  cold.  He  looked  at  her  steadily 
a  long  time,  and  then  answered,  "Do  not  ask  me 
what  you  should  do.  Ask  me  what  you  will  do." 

"Well?" 

"You  will  follow  your  heart.  Perhaps  that  is 
what  you  should  do.  You  are  a  woman.  But  I 
am  a  man,  and  I  must  follow  my  head." 

"Your  head  is  a  stubborn  head,  David,"  said 
John. 

A  fleeting  smile  crossed  David's  face.  "We  are 


Wedding  and  Farewell  267 

then  two  of  a  kind  well  met,"  he  replied.  "You 
will  remember  grandfather  used  to  say  of  you, 
*  There  are  two  ways  to  do  everything.  One  way 
is  John's  way,  the  other  way  is  the  wrong  way.' 

The  girl  went  to  David  and,  drawing  his  head 
down  to  her,  kissed  his  forehead  and  said,  "You 
have  been  the  best,  the  noblest  brother  a  girl  ever 
had.  I  love  you  dearly,  David,  but  I  must  go 
with  John."  And  with  heightening  color  she 
ran  to  John  Nobleman  and  sought  refuge  in  his 
arms. 

But  in  a  moment  anxiety  eclipsed  her  joy. 
"What  will  become  of  you  and  grandfather?"  she 
asked  anxiously.  "We  cannot  leave  you." 

"We  shall  do  very  well,"  replied  David,  with 
assumed  carelessness.  "We  can  get  on  very 
nicely  with  such  help  as  I  can  secure.  It  will 
take  a  long  time  for  the  Saints  to  leave  Nauvoo, 
all  of  them.  They  cannot  possibly  all  get  away 
much  inside  of  a  year.  Surely  the  efforts  they  are 
making  to  leave  will  satisfy  the  mob.  If  not,  and 
the  worst  comes  to  the  worst,  and  the  city  is 
sacked,  I  will  take  grandfather  up  or  down  the 
river  to  a  place  of  safety.  Sometime  we  may 
come  to  an  agreement  again  and  come  together 
once  more.  But  I  am  determined  to  stay  by  Nau- 


268  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

voo  to  the  last.    But  your  place,  Mildred,  is  with 
your  chosen  companion." 

The  wedding  day  was  also  the  day  of  farewell. 
At  the  appointed  hour,  the  two  stood  up  quietly 
before  David,  with  French  LaBarron  and  Wil- 
liam Nobleman  as  witnesses,  and  David  Noble- 
man said  the  church  service  that  made  them  hus- 
band and  wife. 

But  ere  he  did  this,  in  a  manner  that  was  most 
impressive,  despite  the  simple  surroundings, 
charged  as  it  was  by  the  prophetic  influence  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  he  said,  "John  Nobleman,  I 
give  you  this  most  solemn  charge :  The  daughter 
of  this  home  is  about  to  go  from  under  the  roof 
that  has  sheltered  her  heretofore.  All  of  us  here 
together  as  a  family  have  lavished  upon  her  our 
tenderest  love.  All  together  we  have  given  her 
our  protection.  But  now  she  elects  to  pass  en- 
tirely into  your  care  and  under  your  protection. 

"My  charge  as  I  give  her  into  your  hand  is 
that  you  shall  ever  be  worthy  of  the  trust  thus 
reposed  in  you.  You  are  about  to  pledge  yourself 
to  keep  yourself  for  her  and  from  all  others.  To 
paraphrase  Paul,  Though  we  or  any  other  man, 
or  even  an  angel  from  other  regions,  try  to  induce 
you  to  enter  into  some  other  marriage  covenant, 


Wedding  and  Farewell  269 

let  him  be  accursed.  And  if  you  should  prove  un- 
true to  this  covenant  on  which  the  church  sets  its 
seal,  you,  John  Nobleman,  shall  most  certainly 
be  accursed.  Remember  this  in  the  land  whither 
thou  goest ;  and  in  the  day  when  this  church  cov- 
enant, which  means  that  they  two  shall  be  one 
flesh,  shall  be  lightly  spoken  of,  remember  thou 
this  day  and  this  charge;  for  it  is  written  in  the 
church  books,  'Thou  shalt  love  thy  wife  with  all 
thy  heart,  and  shall  cleave  unto  her  and  none 
else/  " 

Thus  the  foster  sister,  who  had  become  the 
sweetheart,  became  a  wife.  What  David's  feel- 
ings were  no  one  present  could  even  surmise. 

French  LaBarron  and  John  had  fitted  up  an 
emigrant  wagon,  well-covered,  and  stocked  with 
provisions.  This  was  drawn  by  an  ox  team,  and 
French  LaBarron  was  the  driver.  The  girl  came 
down  the  walk  to  join  her  husband  when  they 
were  quite  ready  to  make  their  start. 

But  the  joyous  light  on  her  face  clouded  sud- 
denly and  a  swift  gush  of  tears  came  to  her  eyes. 
She  ran  back  up  the  gravel  walk  and  into  the  old 
home.  She  went  from  room  to  room  looking 
tenderly  at  each  familiar  object.  Then  she  ran 


270  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

out  into  the  rose  garden  and  falling  on  her  knees 
in  the  snow  under  the  maple  tree  prayed  silently 
for  a  moment. 

She  came  back,  and  apparently  having  mas- 
tered her  feelings,  she  kissed  David  and  her 
grandfather  again.  Then  she  climbed  to  her 
place  in  the  big  wagon  seat  at  the  front.  John 
Nobleman  mounted  Thunderbolt.  French  La- 
Barron  cracked  the  big  ox  whip,  and  they  were 
off.  But  now  it  was  John's  turn  to  come  back 
for  a  moment.  Without  a  word  he  pressed  a 
packet  into  David's  hand.  When  David  opened 
it  later  he  discovered  it  to  be  the  miniature. 

French  LaBarron  drove  the  outfit  down  to 
the  river,  where  they  were  joined  by  a  half  dozen 
other  wagons  and  all  struck  out  over  the  ice  to- 
wards the  Iowa  shore.  A  cold  north  wind  was 
blowing  and  white  flurries  of  snow  beat  about 
them  as  they  journeyed.  Was  there  ever  such 
another  wedding  journey?  Yet  such  is  the  power 
of  youth  and  love  that  soon  melancholy  and  the 
pain  of  parting  melted  away  and  the  two  young 
people  looked  with  eager  eyes  towards  the 
strange  and  unguessed  adventures  that  lay  be- 
fore them  in  the  wilderness. 

John  urged   Thunderbolt  alongside  the  big 


Wedding  and  Farewell  271 

wagon  and,  leaning  far  over,  put  his  arm  about 
the  shoulders  of  his  young  wife  and  whispered 
into  her  ear  the  new  name  that  he  had  given  her 
so  long  before. 

"Is  it  a  good  name?"  he  asked. 

She  nodded  vigorously,  and  answered,  "The 
very  best  in  the  world,  John.  The  only  name 
that  could  call  me  away  from  my  home  upon 
such  a  journey." 

A  little  shadow  crossed  his  face.  "You  are 
risking  a  great  deal  for  me,"  he  said.  "You  are 
facing  hardships  unknown  and  dangers  that  we 
cannot  even  guess.  And  you  are  going  rather 
against  your  convictions,  too.  But  I  promise  you, 
Mildred,  that  I  will  always  be  true  to  you  and  no 
one  shall  ever  come  between  us  while  the  world 
stands.  My  life  shall  be  your  protection.  So 
help  me  God.  Amen." 

On  the  lonely,  wind-swept  point,  known  as 
David's  Lookout,  stood  a  solitary  figure,  watch- 
ing the  emigrant  train.  Now  they  were  obscured 
by  the  flying  snow,  again  they  emerged  sharply 
revealed  against  the  icy  highway.  But  at  last 
they  had  crossed  the  mighty  stream,  wrapped  in 
its  winter  sleep,  and  disappeared  among  the 


272  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

trees  on  the  further  shore.  Then  the  solitary 
watcher  turned  and  descended  the  hill,  his  shoul- 
ders slightly  stooped  as  though  under  a  recently 
assumed  burden.  But  as  he  walked  he  sang: 


'My  times  are  in  thy  hand: 
My  God!   I  wish  them  there; 

My  life,  my  friends,  my  soul,  I  leave 
Entirely  to  thy  care." 


Timbers  for  the  Temple  273 

Chapter  Twenty 

CLOSING  SCENES 

THE  autumn  of  1846  drew  on  apace,  and 
more  than  equinoxial  storms  portended. 

September  10  a  body  of  armed  men  one 
thousand  in  number  was  encampel  at  Hunter's 
farm,  just  a  little  way  out  of  the  city,  with  artil- 
lery, wagons,  and  other  military  equipage.  At 
the  head  of  this  force  was  one  Thomas  Brock- 
man,  thus  described  by  Governor  Ford  in  his 
history  of  Illinois:  "This  Brockman  was  a  Camp- 
bellite  preacher,  nominally  belonging  to  the 
Democratic  Party.  He  was  a  large,  awkward, 
uncouth,  ignorant  semibarbarian,  ambitious  of 
office,  and  bent  upon  acquiring  notoriety.  He 
had  been  county  commissioner  of  Brown  County, 
and  in  that  capacity  had  let  out  a  contract  for 
building  the  courthouse,  and  it  was  afterwards 
ascertained  had  let  the  contract  to  himself.  He 
managed  to  get  paid  in  advance,  and  then  built 
such  an  inferior  building,  that  the  county  had  not 
received  it  up  to  December,  1846.  He  had  also 
been  a  collector  of  taxes,  for  which  he  was  a  de- 
faulter, and  his  lands  were  sold  whilst  I  was  gov- 

TT— 17 


274  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

ernor,  to  pay  a  judgment  obtained  against  him 
for  moneys  collected  by  him." 

Opposed  to  this  body  of  invaders  was  a  small 
force  of  men  left  in  the  city.  But  these  under 
command  of  Colonels  Daniel  Wells  and  William 
Cutler  took  a  position  on  the  edge  of  a  wood  in 
the  suburbs  of  Nauvoo,  to  the  east  of  the  once 
peaceful  city. 

A  deputation  of  citizens  from  Quincy  visited 
the  camp  of  the  besiegers,  begging  them  to  have 
mercy  on  the  Saints,  but  without  avail.  Perceiv- 
ing that  their  plea  fell  upon  deaf  ears  and  stony 
hearts  they  withdrew,  and  the  attack  began  im- 
mediately with  a  bombardment  from  a  battery  of 
six-pounders.  Nothing  was  accomplished  that 
day,  and  at  sunrise  the  next  morning  the  enemy 
changed  position,  intending  to  take  the  city  by 
storm. 

They  were  held  in  check  by  Captain  Anderson 
and  his  son,  a  lad  of  sixteen,  with  a  company  of 
thirty-five  men,  known  as  the  "Spartan  Band." 
The  enemy  had  recourse  to  grapeshot,  forcing 
the  embattled  Spartan  Band  to  retire  out  of 
range;  but  darkness  again  put  an  end  to  the 
struggle. 

The  morning  of  September  12  dawned  upon  a 
city  in  distress.  As  David  took  his  way  up  town, 


Closing  Scenes  275 

at  intervals  he  paused  or  turned  aside  to  enter 
some  home  where  he  knew  there  were  sick  or  un- 
fortunate people  to  whom  he  might  administer. 
More  than  one  blessed  him  for  a  kindness  as  he 
passed. 

Reaching  the  temple  he  entered  it  and  climbed 
to  one  of  the  tower  rooms  to  take  an  observation. 
As  he  looked  over  the  peaceful  landscape  and  the 
broad,  shining  river,  he  could  scarcely  believe 
that  tragedy  haunted  every  street,  that  armed 
foemen  were  pressing  upon  them  from  the  rear 
of  the  city  and  that  stationed  across  the  river 
were  bands  of  desperate  men  flaunting  the  red 
flag,  and  eager  to  massacre  any  who  might  seek 
to  escape  in  that  way. 

Yet  to  the  east  as  he  looked,  among  green  trees 
and  open  fields,  he  saw  lines  of  men  maneuvering 
and  he  knew  that  there  was  to  be  another  attack. 
There  seemed  little  hope  that  any  would  escape. 
Bidding  the  watchman  in  the  tower  farewell,  he 
hastened  to  the  street  again  and  sought  the  place 
where  the  "Spartan  Band"  had  been  located. 

He  found  them  in  position.  As  he  approached, 
Captain  Anderson  offered  him  a  rifle,  but  he  put 
his  hands  behind  him  and  shook  his  head:  "It  is 
useless,"  he  said.  And  lifting  his  head  in  a  char- 


276  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

acteristic  manner,  he  added,  "You  fight  men,  but 
I  am  come  to  fight  for  men." 

Anderson  tapped  the  stock  of  his  rifle,  and 
waving  a  hand  towards  the  temple  said,  "I  shall 
die  to-day  for  the  holy  sanctuary." 

"Possibly  so,"  answered  David.  "We  both 
fight  for  the  temple,  each  in  his  own  way;  you 
for  the  temple  of  stone,  I  for  the  living  temple. 
You  men  will  do  well  to  surrender,  whatever 
the  terms  may  be,  rather  than  to  shed  blood. 
Christ  gave  himself  up  to  die;  can  we  do  less? 
He  endured  the  cross;  shall  we  resist  it?" 

"Terms,"  replied  Anderson;  "there  are  no 
terms.  Brockman,  the  preacher,  whose  Camp- 
bellite  texts  we  heard  whistle  in  our  ears  yester- 
day, demands  unconditional  surrender.  I  have 
replied  that  we  will  not  surrender.  We  are  fight- 
ing for  our  homes  and  wives  and  children.  We 
have  a  right  to  defend  ourselves!  It  is  nature's 
first  law.  Remember  Haun's  Mill!" 

Soon  David  heard  again  the  rattle  of  firearms 
and  the  crash  of  six  pounders,  punctuated  by  the 
yells  of  the  attacking  force.  He  smelled  the 
acrid  smoke  of  gunpowder. 

The  besiegers  were  approaching  the  main  body 
of  the  defenders,  who  were  posted  behind  barri- 
cades some  distance  from  Anderson's  small  com- 


Closing  Scenes  277 

mand.  But  when  they  had  come  within  rifle 
range  Brockman's  men  suddenly  wheeled  to  the 
south,  thinking  to  outflank  the  defenders  and 
gain  possession  of  the  temple  square. 

Anderson  had  anticipated  this  move,  and  lead- 
ing his  men  at  double  quick,  confronted  them, 
opening  fire  with  revolving  rifles.  A  furious  ex- 
change of  shots  ensued  for  an  hour  and  a  half, 
and  in  the  end  the  attacking  force  withdrew  to 
their  camp. 

David  assisted  the  wounded  as  best  he  could, 
bandaging  their  hurts,  and  bringing  them  water 
and  medicine.  As  though  detached  from  his  sur- 
roundings, he  heard  the  bullets  whistle  about  his 
head  without  conscious  feeling  of  concern.  He 
was  in  the  battle  but  not  of  it. 

Among  those  who  fell  were  Captain  Anderson 
and  his  son,  the  former  dying,  as  he  had  pre- 
dicted, in  defense  of  the  temple. 

A  member  of  the  "Spartan  Band"  who  helped 
David  carry  the  dying  man  to  the  rear,  muttered, 
"One  of  preacher  Brockman's  Campbellite  texts 
did  that!" 

But  David  silenced  him:  "Do  not  refer  to  his 
church  membership,"  he  said.  "Without  doubt 
the  time  will  come  when  his  own  people  will  be 
most  heartily  ashamed  of  him,  for  after  all  we 


278  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

are  not  driven  from  our  homes  or  killed  in  ac- 
cordance with  law,  but  rather  in  violation  of  law." 

David  spent  the  entire  night  in  comforting 
frightened  and  sorrowing  women  and  children, 
caring  for  the  sick  and  wounded,  and  fortifying 
his  heart  with  prayer  against  the  morrow,  for 
the  destruction  of  the  city  and  the  murder  of  her 
inhabitants,  or  whatever  fate  might  befall  them. 

"How  very  fortunate,"  he  soliloquized,  "that 
Grandfather  Nobleman  went  to  his  rest  ere 
things  came  to  this  pass.  He  sleeps  now  by  the 
side  of  his  companion.  No  hostile  shot  can  af- 
fright their  ears.  They  are  beyond  the  power  of 
man's  hatred  to  do  them  further  violence.  How 
swift  and  sure  a  barrier  death  erects  before  man's 
enmity.  Thus  far  and  no  farther  can  they  go." 

He  had  loved  the  city  and  her  ideals  and  the 
people,  and  at  times  his  spirit  was  almost  cruci- 
fied within  him  at  the  ruin  and  wreck  so  immi- 
nent; but  again  a  feeling  of  serene  peace  would 
come  upon  him,  counseling  him  to  be  of  good 
cheer,  that  in  due  time  God  would  again  reveal 
his  hand  to  the  establishing  of  his  people. 

The  next  day  was  Sunday  and  the  battle  was 
not  renewed.  It  was  now  evident  that  the  few 
remaining  Saints  could  not  be  either  massacred 
or  driven  out  excepting  at  a  price  that  the  mob- 


Closing  Scenes  279 

bers  hesitated  to  pay.  Accordingly  a  committee 
of  one  hundred  was  sent  to  the  city  to  negotiate 
terms,  and  on  a  promise  that  they  would  be  pro- 
tected, the  inhabitants  agreed  to  lay  down  their 
arms  and  immediately  cross  the  river. 

The  invaders  then  made  their  triumphal  entry, 
Brockman,  the  preacher,  at  their  head.  But  no 
sooner  had  they  entered  than  they  forgot  the 
promise  that  they  had  made.  Homes  were  broken 
open  and  robbed  of  every  article  of  value.  The 
sick  were  driven  from  their  beds  and  turned  out 
of  doors  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  Even  the 
rights  of  the  dead  were  violated,  and  burial  par- 
ties broken  up.  At  the  temple  the  wildest  scenes 
of  debauchery  took  place.  Where  song  and 
prayer  had  been  heard  of  old,  now  were  oaths  and 
obscene  shoutings. 

Burying  their  dead,  bundling  together  such 
poor  possessions  as  they  could  take  with  them, 
carrying  their  sick  and  wounded  as  best  they 
could,  the  remnant  of  the  Saint T  left  their  homes, 
their  beautiful  city,  and  under  cover  of  the  rifles 
of  their  despoilers  crossed  the  river  to  camp  mis- 
erably among  the  reeds  and  rushes.  By  the  17th, 
the  exodus  was  completed,  and  the  enemy  was  at 
last  in  undisputed  possession  of  the  city  that  they 
had  neither  builded  nor  purchased.  Such  a 


280  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

strange  exodus  has  seldom  elsewhere  been  re- 
corded in  history. 

After  David  had  assisted  all  that  he  could; 
after  he  had  helped  the  last  boat  to  shove  off, 
almost  unnoticed  and  unmolested,  he  took  his 
way  homeward. 

It  is  true,  one  drunken  guard  armed  with  a 
musket  and  bayonet  stopped  him  with  the  chal- 
lenge, "Are  you  a  damned  Mormon?" 

David  looked  at  him  a  moment,  and  one  of  his 
old-time  smiles  crossed  his  sad  face  fleetingly, 
as  he  answered,  "No,  I  hope  not."  He  waited 
to  be  interrogated  further,  but  the  guard  was  at- 
tracted to  other  matters.  His  comrades  fortu- 
nately seemed  busy  at  other  places,  and  so  the 
young  man  passed  on  to  his  home.  He  found 
that  it  had  not  as  yet  been  violated. 

He  passed  from  room  to  room  of  the  deserted 
house,  now  so  silent,  yet  seemingly  haunted  by 
memories  of  the  past  and  spirits  of  those  gone 
on.  He  passed  out,  closing  the  door,  not  know- 
ing who  might  next  enter,  or  what  alien  might 
soon  shelter  under  its  rooftree,  warm  by  its  big 
fireplace,  read,  perhaps  deface,  the  dear  books  in 
its  library. 

He  passed  to  the  rose  garden,  now  disheveled 
in  autumn  disarray,  like  his  youthful  hopes, 


Closing  Scenes  281 

dreams,  loves.  Blight  and  frost  and  canker 
seemed  to  have  fallen  upon  all.  He  stood  under 
the  maple  tree  where  he  had  so  blithely  worked 
with  oils  and  paints  upon  the  miniature. 

Leaving  the  garden,  he  took  his  way  to  the 
secluded  woodland  cloister  that  Mildred  had 
named  Prince  David's  Chambers.  Here,  too,  he 
found  no  peace.  The  waterfall  was  summer 
dried.  The  ground  was  littered  with  falling 
leaves.  Romance  had  fled  away — youth  seemed 
gone.  Love  had  eluded  him. 

He  took  his  way  down  the  ravine  to  the  river 
front  and  sat  down  upon  a  bowlder.  He  was  a 
tragic  figure,  sitting  there  alone,  apparently  lost 
in  reverie. 

The  sun  went  down  and  darkness  fell,  but  he 
seemed  not  to  notice  the  change.  At  times  the 
moon  shone  forth  between  dark  clouds,  revealing 
the  black  and  swirling  waters  of  the  great  stream, 
as  melancholy  a  spectacle  as  one  might  imagine. 

Only  at  the  sound  of  revelry  did  the  lonely 
watcher  by  the  river  stir  and  lift  his  head.  Armed 
men  were  encamped  in  and  about  the  temple  on 
the  hill,  surrounded  by  their  stacked  musketry 
and  heavy  ordnance.  There  men  were  now  en- 
gaged in  a  wild  and  drunken  orgy.  Even  at  that 
distance,  on  the  still  night  air  he  could  hear  their 


282  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

yells  and  jeers,  oath-laden  exclamations  and  rib- 
ald songs. 

At  times  in  sheer  excess  of  cruelty,  it  seemed 
to  him,  some  would  climb  to  the  belfry  and  whoop 
and  shriek  or  beat  upon  a  drum,  ringing  in  the 
meantime  a  steamboat  bell  that  they  had  carried 
up  for  that  purpose. 

The  lonely  listener  started  to  his  feet,  a  look 
of  pain  upon  his  face.  "Truly  the  Devil  has  fully 
entered  in,"  he  whispered  to  himself.  "No  won- 
der that  in  the  recent  storm  a  lightning  stroke 
smote  the  belfry  of  the  temple.  Satan  was  put- 
ting his  mark  upon  it  ere  these  came  in.  Yet  it 
must  be  that  the  Saints  first  erred  or  he  could 
not  have  thus  entered  in." 

Presently  he  became  conscious  of  the  meas- 
ured strokes  of  a  paddle  and  perceived  a  canoe 
approaching.  It  came  directly  towards  him, 
and  landed  at  his  very  feet.  Whether  propelled 
by  friend  or  foe  he  could  not  guess. 

But  the  occupant  stepped  ashore,  and  drawing 
the  canoe  upon  the  bank,  approached  him.  At 
that  instant  the  moon  shone  forth  and  he  recog- 
nized old  Kis-Kish-Kee. 

"You  need  me?  I  come!"  said  the  latter,  sen- 
tentiously.  "You  come  with  me.  I  take  you  up 
river  to  safe  place." 


Closing  Scenes  288 

"Yes,  Kis-Kish-Kee,  I  need  you,"  the  young 
man  replied.  "I  will  go.  I  am  tired.  There  is 
nothing  to  keep  me  here  longer." 

The  two  stepped  into  the  canoe  and  shoved  off 
without  another  word.  They  did  not  look  back. 
The  hideous  revelry  at  the  desecrated  temple  was 
their  farewell.  A  patrol  at  the  landing  spied 
them  and  fired  a  few  shots  when  they  did  not 
heed  the  command  to  halt.  But  the  young  man 
sat  wearily  in  the  stern  of  the  boat  and  the  Indian 
paddled  stoically  in  the  prow,  and  so  they  quickly 
passed  out  of  range.  They  took  their  silent 
course  up  the  river,  threading  their  way  among 
the  islands. 

At  last  the  young  man  aroused  himself,  and 
ere  they  passed  from  sight  of  the  few  twinkling 
lights  of  the  city,  he  said,  "Farewell,  Nauvoo! 
Farewell!  I  go,  but  I  shall  return.  The  temple 
of  stone  without  doubt  will  fall  in  ruins,  or  perish 
by  fire,  thus  being  purged  of  the  evil  presences 
that  now  inhabit  it.  But  by  and  by  we  shall  erect 
again  the  living  spiritual  temple. 

"Farewell,  Nauvoo!  Farewell!  Rest  as  best 
you  may  under  the  curse  that  has  come  upon  you. 
May  God  forgive  your  enemies  who  truly  know 
not  what  they  do,  and  whose  children  shall  yet 
condemn  them  for  that  which  they  have  done. 


284  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

May  God  forgive  the  follies  of  your  people  and 
recall  their  virtues  and  sacrifices  and  in  due  time 
be  pleased  to  cause  his  gospel  to  shine  forth  again 
and  his  church  to  be  reassembled  and  reorgan- 
ized. 

"Farewell,  Nauvoo!  Peace  be  to  the  ashes  of 
your  dead.  Compassion  be  over  the  heads  of 
exiles ;  and  may  the  honest  in  heart  among  them 
be  led  back  again,  perhaps  not  to  Nauvoo,  but 
to  the  truth  and  to  the  beautiful  city  of  the  new 
Jerusalem." 

From  an  unprejudiced  observer  we  have  a 
rather  wonderful  account  of  some  of  the  scenes 
mentioned  in  this  chapter.  Colonel  Thomas 
Kane  visited  Nauvoo  in  September,  1844,  and  de- 
scribed that  which  he  saw,  his  account  appearing 
in  Smucker's  History.  This  chapter  cannot  bet- 
ter close  than  with  with  his  words : 

"I  was  descending  the  last  hillside  upon  my 
journey,  when  a  landscape  in  delightful  contrast 
broke  upon  my  view.  Half  encircled  by  a  bend 
of  the  river,  a  beautiful  city  lay  glittering  in  the 
fresh  morning  sun;  its  bright,  new  dwellings,  set 
in  cool,  green  gardens,  ranging  up  around  a 
stately  dome-shaped  hill,  which  was  crowned  by 
a  noble  marble  edifice,  whose  high,  tapering  spire 
was  radiant  with  white  and  gold.  The  city  ap- 


Closing  Scenes  285 

peared  to  cover  several  miles;  and  beyond  it,  in 
the  background,  there  rolled  off  a  fair  country, 
chequered  by  the  careful  lines  of  fruitful  hus- 
bandry. The  unmistakable  marks  of  industry, 
enterprise,  and  educated  wealth  everywhere, 
made  the  scene  one  of  singular  and  most  striking 
beauty. 

"It  was  a  natural  impulse  to  visit  this  inviting 
region.  I  procured  a  skiff,  and  rowing  across  the 
river,  landed  at  the  chief  wharf  of  the  city.  No 
one  met  me  there.  I  looked,  and  saw  no  one.  I 
could  hear  no  one  move ;  though  the  quiet  every- 
where was  such  that  I  heard  the  flies  buzz,  and 
the  water  ripples  break  against  the  shallow  of 
the  beach.  I  walked  through  the  solitary  streets. 
The  town  lay  as  in  a  dream  under  some  deaden- 
ing spell  of  loneliness,  from  which  I  almost 
feared  to  wake  it;  for  plainly  it  had  not  slept 
long.  There  was  no  grass  growing  up  in  the 
paved  ways;  rains  had  not  entirely  washed  away 
the  prints  of  dusty  footsteps. 

"Yet  I  went  about  unchecked.  I  went  into 
empty  workshops,  ropewalks,  and  smithies.  The 
spinner's  wheel  was  idle;  the  carpenter  had  gone 
from  his  workbench  and  shavings,  his  unfinished 
sash  and  casing;  fresh  bark  was  in  the  tanner's 
vat,  and  the  fresh  chopped  lightwood  stood  piled 


286  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

against  the  baker's  oven.  The  blacksmith's  shop 
was  cold ;  but  his  coal  heap,  and  ladling  pool,  and 
crooked  water  horn,  were  all  there,  as  if  he  had 
just  gone  off  for  a  holiday.  No  work  people 
anywhere  looked  to  know  my  errand.  If  I  went 
into  the  gardens,  clinking  the  wicket  latch  loudly 
after  me,  to  pull  the  marigolds,  heart's-ease,  and 
ladyslippers,  and  draw  a  drink  with  the  water- 
sodden  well  bucket  and  its  noisy  chain ;  or,  knock- 
ing off  with  my  stick  the  tall,  heavy-headed 
dahlias  and  sunflowers,  hunted  over  the  beds  for 
cucumbers  and  love  apples,  [tomatoes]  no  one 
called  out  to  me  from  any  opened  window,  or 
dog  sprang  forward  to  bark  and  alarm.  I  could 
have  supposed  the  people  hidden  in  the  houses, 
but  the  doors  were  unfastened ;  and  when  at  last 
I  timidly  entered  them,  I  found  dead  ashes  white 
upon  the  hearths,  and  had  to  tread  a-tiptoe,  as 
if  walking  down  the  aisle  of  a  country  church,  to 
avoid  rousing  irreverent  echoes  from  the  naked 
floors.  .  .  . 

"Only  two  portions  of  the  city  seemed  to  sug- 
gest the  import  of  this  mysterious  solitude.  On 
the  southern  suburb,  the  houses  looking  out  upon 
the  country  showed,  by  their  splintered  wood- 
work and  walls  battered  to  the  foundation,  that 
they  had  lately  been  the  mark  of  a  destructive 


Closing  Scenes  287 

cannonade.  And  in  and  around  the  splendid 
temple,  which* had  been  the  chief  object  of  my 
admiration,  armed  men  were  barracked,  sur- 
rounded by  their  stacks  of  musketry  and  pieces 
of  heavy  ordnance.  These  challenged  me  to 
render  an  account  of  myself,  and  why  I  had  had 
the  temerity  to  cross  the  water  without  a  written 
permit  from  a  leader  of  their  band. 

"Though  these  men  were  generally  more  or 
less  under  the  influence  of  ardent  spirits,  after  I 
had  explained  myself  as  a  passing  stranger,  they 
seemed  anxious  to  gain  my  good  opinion.  They 
told  the  story  of  the  Dead  City;  that  it  had  been 
a  notable  manufacturing  and  commercial  mart, 
sheltering  over  twenty  thousand  persons;  that 
they  had  waged  war  with  its  inhabitants  for  sev- 
eral years,  and  had  been  finally  successful,  only 
a  few  days  before  my  visit,  in  an  action  fought  in 
front  of  the  ruined  suburb ;  after  which  they  had 
driven  them  forth  at  the  point  of  the  sword.  The 
defense,  they  said,  had  been  obstinate,  but  gave 
way  on  the  third  day's  bombardment.  They 
boasted  greatly  of  their  prowess,  especially  in 
this  battle,  as  they  called  it ;  but  I  discovered  that 
they  were  not  of  one  mind  as  to  certain  of  the 
exploits  that  had  distinguished  it;  one  of  which, 
as  I  remember,  was,  that  they  had  slain  a  father 


288  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

and  his  son,  a  boy  of  fifteen,  not  long  residents 
of  the  fated  city,  whom  they  admitted  to  have 
borne  a  character  without  reproach.  .  .  . 

"They  permitted  me  also  to  ascend  into  the 
steeple,  to  see  where  it  had  been  lightning-struck 
on  the  Sabbath  before;  and  to  look  out,  east  and 
south,  on  wasted  farms  like  those  I  had  seen  near 
the  city,  extending  till  they  were  lost  in  the  dis- 
tance. Here,  in  the  face  of  the  pure  day,  close 
to  the  scar  of  the  Divine  wrath  left  by  the  thun- 
derbolt, were  fragments  of  food,  cruses  of  liquor, 
and  broken  drinking  vessels,  with  a  brass  drum 
and  a  steamboat  signal  bell,  of  which  I  after- 
wards learned  the  use  with  pain. 

"It  was  after  nightfall,  when  I  was  ready  to 
cross  the  river  on  my  return.  The  wind  had 
freshened  since  the  sunset,  and  the  water  beating 
roughly  into  my  little  boat,  I  hedged  higher  up 
the  stream  than  the  point  I  had  left  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  landed  where  a  faint  glimmering  light 
invited  me  to  steer. 

"Here,  among  the  dock  and  rushes,  sheltered 
only  by  the  darkness,  without  roof  between  them 
and  sky,  I  came  upon  a  crowd  of  several  hundred 
human  creatures,  whom  my  movements  roused 
from  uneasy  slumber  upon  the  ground.  .  .  . 

"Dreadful,  indeed,  was  the  suffering  of  these 


PRESIDENT  JOSEPH  SMITH 


Closing  Scenes  289 

forsaken  beings;  bowed  and  cramped  by  cold 
and  sunburn,  alternating  as  each  weary  day  and 
night  dragged  on,  they  were,  almost  all  of  them, 
the  crippled  victims  of  disease.  They  were  there 
because  they  had  no  homes,  nor  hospital,  nor 
poorhouse,  nor  friends  to  offer  them  any.  They 
could  not  satisfy  the  feeble  cravings  of  their  sick; 
they  had  not  bread  to  quiet  the  fractious  hunger- 
cries  of  their  children.  Mothers  and  babes, 
daughters,  and  grandparents,  all  of  them  alike, 
were  bivouacked  in  tatters,  wanting  even  cov- 
ering to  comfort  those  whom  the  sick  shiver  of 
fever  was  searching  to  the  marrow. 

"These  were  Mormons,  in  Lee  County,  Iowa, 
in  the  fourth  week  of  the  month  of  September,  in 
the  year  of  our  Lord  1846.  The  city — it  was 
Nauvoo,  Illinois.  The  Mormons  were  the  own- 
ers of  that  city  and  the  smiling  country  around. 
And  those  who  had  stopped  their  plows,  who  had 
silenced  their  hammers,  their  axes,  their  shuttles, 
and  their  workshop  wheels;  those  who  had  put 
out  their  fires,  who  had  eaten  their  food,  spoiled 
their  orchards,  and  trampled  under  foot  their 
thousands  of  acres  of  unharvested  bread;  these 
were  the  keepers  of  their  dwellings,  the  carousers 
in  their  temple,  whose  drunken  riot  insulted  the 
ears  of  the  dying. 

TT— 18 


290  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

"I  think  it  was  as  I  turned  from  the  wretched 
nightwatch  of  which  I  have  spoken,  that  I  first 
listened  to  the  sounds  of  revel  of  a  party  of  the 
guard  within  the  city.  Above  the  distant  hum 
of  voices  of  many,  occasionally  rose  distinct  the 
loud  oath-tainted  exclamation,  and  the  falsely  in- 
tonated scrap  of  vulgar  song;  but  lest  this  re- 
quiem should  go  unheeded,  every  now  and  then, 
when  their  boisterous  orgies  strove  to  attain  a 
sort  of  ecstatic  climax,  a  cruel  spirit  of  insulting 
frolic  carried  some  of  them  up  into  the  high 
belfry  of  the  temple  steeple,  and  there,  with  the 
wicked  childishness  of  inebriates,  they  whooped, 
and  shrieked,  and  beat  the  drum  that  I  had  seen, 
and  rang  in  charivaric  unison  their  loud-tongued 
steamboat  bell." 


Timbers  for  the  Temple  291 

Chapter  Twenty-One 

GLAD  TIDINGS 

TWO  people,  a  man  and  a  woman,  walked 
the  streets  of  Nauvoo,  noting  the  changes 
that  years  had  wrought.  The  beauty  of  the 
excellent  city  was  marred  and  her  crown  was 
gone,  for  the  hill  no  longer  bore  the  wonderful 
temple  that  had  been  at  once  the  city's  adorn- 
ment and  her  symbol  of  holiness. 

Yes,  the  temple  had  been  burned  by  fire,  and 
afterwards  the  hurricanes  had  smitten  the  ruined 
walls,  dashing  them  down  in  awful  confusion, 
leaving  but  three  pillars  to  furnish  the  poet  his 
theme: 

"Joseph,  Alexander,  David,  three  remaining  pillars  still; 
Like  the  three  remaining  pillars  of  the  temple  on  the  hilL" 

And  in  the  ruins  men  had  quarried,  building 
from  these  rocks  hewn  with  such  care  for  sacred 
purposes,  other  buildings  unhallowed. 

As  these  *two  walked  about  they  noticed  the 
marks  of  ruin  and  of  former  greatness.  They 
saw  many  crumbling  walls  and  foundations 
where,  by  fire  or  violence  or  neglect,  homes  had 
been  destroyed.  There  were  also  many  fine  brick 


292  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

buildings  still  standing,  some  of  them  unoccu- 
pied. Streets  once  well  kept  were  overgrown 
with  grass  and  weeds,  and  the  tinkle  of  cow  bells 
saluted  their  ears,  for  cattle  grazed  in  the  quiet 
lanes  where  formerly  thousands  thronged. 

The  air  that  once  pulsed  with  the  thrilling 
strains  of  that  noble  hymn,  "The  Spirit  of  God 
like  a  fire  is  burning,"  now  seemed  saddened  and 
melancholy  and  the  breezes  wandering  over  hill 
and  valley  seemed  seeking  for  some  token,  some 
remembrance  of  those  other  days.  The  old  ceme- 
tery was  overgrown  and  the  two  could  not  locate 
the  graves  of  William  Nobleman  and  his  wife. 

And  yet  the  two  wanderers  from  the  past 
found  something  to  challenge  their  admiration. 
The  beauties  of  nature  remained  to  justify  the 
taste  of  those  who  had  selected  this  site  for  beau- 
tiful Nauvoo.  The  river  had  lost  none  of  its 
majesty.  The  terraced  slopes  of  the  hill  were 
still  lovely.  And  on  these  terraces  were  many 
vineyards  planted  by  French  colonists  who  had 
succeeded  the  exiled  founders  of  the  city,  and 
by  thrifty  German  settlers  who  had  come  still 
later.  From  these  vineyards  arose  the  fragrant 
aroma  of  ripening  grapes.  And  many  grape 
wagons  were  even  now  proceeding  heavily  laden 
to  the  wine  presses. 


Glad  Tidings  298 

As  the  noon  hour  drew  on  the  two  visitors  se- 
cured from  a  German  vine  grower  a  basket  of 
grapes  and  at  another  place  a  basket  of  big  yel- 
low peaches.  From  a  little  store  on  the  hill  they 
purchased  a  loaf  of  bread  and  some  butter.  They 
took  their  way  down  the  quiet  streets  to  the  river 
front,  past  the  old  Mansion  House  and  the 
Homestead.  The  woman  spread  out  their  lunch, 
and  here  they  ate,  under  an  oak  tree  at  the  foot 
of  Main  Street  at  the  water's  edge,  the  while 
talking  in  subdued  tones  or  silently  watching  the 
sweep  of  the  majestic  river. 

The  lunch  finished,  the  woman  gave  the  gen- 
erous remnants  of  their  meal  to  some  barefoot 
boys  who  played  in  the  water  close  at  hand, 
watching  with  curious  eyes  the  two  strange  vis- 
itors. Then  while  she  sought  for  carnelians 
among  the  sand  and  pebbles  on  the  beach,  the 
man  took  pencil  and  tablet  from  the  portfolio 
that  he  carried,  and  composed  himself  to  write — a 
letter,  evidently.  By  the  courtesy  of  the  story 
writer  you  are  permitted  to  read  that  which  he 
wrote: 

"Dear  Brother  John;  Lift  up  your  head  and 
rejoice,  brother  mine.  I  have  good  news  for  you. 
I  am  doubly  laden  with  blessings  so  that  my  cup 


294  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

runneth  over.  The  spilled  drops  of  my  joy 
anoint  this  letter. 

"It  seems  so  long  ago,  John,  when  I  left  Nau- 
voo  a  city  of  sorrows  and  came  away  by  night 
with  old  Kis-Kish-Kee.  Let  me  see — it  is  fifteen 
years — for  it  is  again  autumn,  but  now  it  is  1861. 
Some  of  those  years  have  been  very  sad.  We 
call  the  time  now  past  the  'Dark  and  cloudy  day.' 
To  you  I  do  not  need  to  recount  the  ignoble 
history  of  those  who  journeyed  westward  to 
Utah. 

"You  know  full  well  the  great  apostasy  and 
shame  that  developed  under  Brigham  Young. 
You  know  now  without  doubt  the  nature  of  the 
proposition  he  would  have  made  to  our  foster 
sister  Mildred,  now  your  wife,  the  mother  of 
your  children. 

"It  was  even  as  our  aged  grandfather  with 
prescient  spirit  saw  'twould  be.  I  rejoice  that 
I  did  not  follow  that  strange  procession  west- 
ward— not  that  I  escaped  their  misery  en  route, 
for  it  would  I  have  gladly  shared  and  alleviated 
— but  that  I  escaped  their  shame  and  ensnare- 
ment  in  that  great  mirage  of  the  desert,  the  false 
Zion  by  the  Salt  Dead  Sea  in  Utah. 

"And  I  rejoice  equally  that  you  who  elected  to 
go  with  them  turned  from  them  on  the  day  when 


Glad  Tidings  295 

Brigham  Young  first  publicly  announced  his 
doctrine  of  polygamy,  at  the  fall  conference  of 
1852. 

"You  were  a  man,  John.     I  knew  it  all  the 
time.     At  the  risk  of  your  life  you  repudiated 
that  doctrine  and  with  Mildred  came  out  of  Utah 
Vith  great  hardship  and  danger. 

"Again  we  are  one  in  heart,  thank  God- 
brothers  undivided.  From  your  letters  I  am  sure 
you  will  accept  the  message  that  I  am  about  to 
divulge. 

"More  than  once  have  I  been  back  to  old  Nau- 
voo  and  walked  her  semideserted  streets,  for  she 
is  not  as  she  was.  I  have  agonized  there  over  the 
past,  and  watered  the  graves  of  the  Martyrs  with 
my  tears,  till  it  seemed  I  might  swell  the  flood  of 
Mississippi.  And  I  have  come  away  obsessed 
with  every  blue  demon  of  melancholy  and  de- 
spair. 

'  I  have  stood  in  the  wailing  place  of  the 
Saints. 

"I  have  beat  my  brows  against  the  gates  of  the 
past,  but  they  will  not  open. 

"But  now  I  press  forward  like  Paul  and  look 
into  the  future.  The  past  we  cannot  reconstruct, 
revive,  alter,  or  by  debate  change  in  jot  or 
tittle.  'Tis  sealed  with  God's  seal,  done  under 


296  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

his  hand,  and  filed  in  the  vaults  of  immutable 
eternity.  But  the  future  is  ours. 

"Now  for  my  double  blessings.  There  runs  a 
golden  thread  of  love  through  every  human  doc- 
ument. Know  this,  brother:  for  many  years  I 
loved  a  miniature  done  on  ivory  by  an  idealistic 
lad  who  worked  in  a  rose  garden — dear  rose 
garden  now  trampled  out  by  alien  feet,  still  fra- 
grant in  three  hearts. 

"I  love  the  miniature,  having  lost  the  origi- 
nal, giving  her  into  your  most  worthy  care  with 
my  own  hand.  I  can  write  it  now — then  you 
sought  my  confession  vainly. 

"But  there  came  a  woman  whose  smile  healed 
my  heart,  whose  voice  drove  all  melancholy  from 
my  brain — a  woman,  yes,  the  woman.  We  are 
happy.  Not  more  happy  the  angels  in  heaven. 

"But  to  my  other  tidings,  my  tidings  universal, 
my  tidings  of  great  joy. 

"God  is  moving  again,  most  wonderfully.  The 
church  is  reorganized.  The  scattered  ones  who 
would  not  go  westward  and  who  repudiated  evil 
teachings  have  come  together  on  the  old  true 
platform. 

"And  at  Amboy,  on  the  6th  day  of  April,  1860, 
'Young  Joseph/  as  he  is  called,  the  son  of  that 
Joseph  who  was  so  cruelly  slain  at  Carthage, 


Glad  Tidings  297 

took  his  place  as  president  and  prophet  of  the 
church.  You  will  remember  that  we  ourselves 
were  present  in  the  bowery  in  Nauvoo  when  his 
father  told  all  the  congregation  that  he  should 
so  occupy. 

"Listen:  From  the  old  city  of  Nauvoo,  on 
July  19,  of  this  very  summer  he  sent  forth  a  gen- 
eral epistle,  truly  prophetic  and  wonderful  in 
nature.  I  will  quote  from  it : 

"  'To  All  the  Scattered  Saints;  In  view  of  the 
many  reports  now  in  circulation,  and  to  show 
to  all  the  scattered  Latter  Day  Saints  that  I  am 
a  true  son  of  a  true  father,  I,  Joseph  Smith, 
President  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Lat- 
ter Day  Saints,  this,  my  first  General  Epistle  to 
the  membership  of  said  church  scattered  in  all 
the  land,  send  greeting.  .  .  . 

"  *I  would  not  that  men  should  hastily  run 
without  tidings,  nor  do  I  ask  that  any  should 
place  the  stake  of  their  salvation  upon  an  earthly 
arm.  "Cursed  is  he  that  putteth  his  trust  in  man, 
and  maketh  flesh  his  arm."  I  ask  and  desire  that 
all  may  place  their  stake  of  salvation  upon  the 
author  and  finisher  of  our  faith — upon  the  prom- 
ises and  principles  of  the  gospel,  pure  as 
preached  from  the  Savior's  lips,  for  in  him  was 


298  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

no  guile,  and  in  his  teachings  there  was  no  de- 
ceit. 

"  'In  the  name  of  the  God  of  Abraham,  of 
Isaac,  and  of  Jacob,  I  now  call  upon  all  the  scat- 
tered Saints,  upon  all  the  broad  earth,  to  rise 
and  shake  off  the  sleep  that  hath  bound  them 
these  many  years,  take  on  the  armor  of  the  just, 
calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  for  help,  and 
unite  once  more  for  the  emancipation  of  the  hon- 
est in  heart  from  the  power  of  false  doctrines  and 
the  shackles  of  sin. 

"  'In  the  name  of  bleeding  Zion,  I  call  upon 
all  those  who  have  been  wandering  in  by  and  for- 
bidden paths,  and  have  been  led  astray  by  wicked 
and  designing  men,  to  turn  from  their  scenes  of 
wickedness  and  sins  of  convenience,  to  turn  from 
their  servitude  to  Satan,  in  all  his  seductive  de- 
vices; from  vice  in  every  phase,  and  from  the 
labor  of  sin,  the  wages  whereof  are  ever  death, 
unto  their  true  and  delightsome  allegiance  to  the 
principles  of  the  gospel  of  peace,  to  the  paths  of 
wisdom,  to  the  homage  of  that  God  that  brought 
the  children  of  Israel  out  of  bondage;  to  turn 
and  remember  the  new  covenant,  even  the  Book 
of  Mormon;  to  lay  hold  anew  upon  the  rod  of 
iron  which  surely  leads  to  the  tree  of  life ;  to  re- 
member that  those  who  live  to  the  Lord  keep  his 


Glad  Tidings  299 

commandments,  and  that  the  promises  are  unto 
the  faithful,  and  the  reward  unto  those  that  en- 
dure to  the  end. 

"  'And  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  I  call 
upon  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  to  repent, 
believe,  and  be  baptized,  for  the  time  cometh 
when  the  judgments  of  God  are  to  be  poured  out 
upon  all  nations,  and  the  besom  of  God's  wrath 
shall  smoke  through  the  land;  when  men  shall 
know  that  there  is  a  God  in  Israel,  and  he  is 
mighty  to  punish  or  to  save;  that  the  prayers  of 
those  under  the  altar  have  been  heard,  and  a  swift 
retribution  is  to  come,  when  the  despoiler  will  be 
despoiled;  when  those  who  denied  justice  shall 
be  judged,  and  the  measure  meted  unto  others 
shall  be  meted  unto  them ;  when  the  prisoner  shall 
go  free,  the  oppressed  be  redeemed,  and  all  Israel 
shall  cry,  "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest  be  given, 
for  he  that  is  long-suffering  and  slow  to  anger, 
has  arisen,  and  shall  bring  again  Zion."  Amen 
and  amen.  "  'JOSEPH  SMITH. 

"  'President  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter  Day  Saints/ ' 

"Has  not  that  the  right  ring?  The  Saints  are 
flocking  back  to  the  truth.  Those  who  still  abide 
in  error  shall  suffer  loss.  But  thousands  will 
heed  the  call. 


300  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

"Now  we  can  get  to  work  again  preparing 
timbers  for  the  temple,  living  timbers,  men  and 
women,  spiritual  temples. 

"This  is  the  first  work.  We  must  build  the 
spiritual  temple  aright  and  on  a  true  foundation 
first.  For  this  is  the  order  of  creation. 

"Then  in  due  time  we  may  erect  our  temples 
of  wood  or  stone,  at  Nauvoo  or  Independence, 
for  the  Saints  will  surely  gather  back — Zion  shall 
not  be  moved  out  of  her  place,  is  the  promise, 
and  those  who  remain  and  are  faithful  shall  re- 
turn, they  and  their  children,  with  songs  of  ever- 
lasting joy,  to  build  up  the  waste  places. 

"Come  thou  with  me  and  help  again  to  prepare 
timbers  for  God's  temple  against  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of  man  in  clouds  of  glory! 

"DAVID  NOBLEMAN/' 


When  the  man  had  finished  writing  he  put  the 
pencil  and  tablet  into  the  portfolio  and  looked 
up  to  find  the  woman  standing  behind  him.  She 
stooped  down  and  patted  him  gently  on  the 
cheek,  whispering,  "Dear  old  David."  Their 
eyes  met  with  that  perfect  understanding  that 
betokens  absolute  unity.  He  caught  her  hand 


Glad  Tidings  801 

in  his  and  gave  it  the  three  quick  pressures  that 
meant  in  their  code,  "I  love  you." 

He  stood  up,  tall,  slender,  handsome,  a  little 
older,  yet  the  same  David  Nobleman  that  we 
knew  of  old.  They  climbed  the  slope  and  turned 
into  the  yard  of  the  Old  Homestead.  Under  the 
green  locust  trees  and  the  "haven  trees"  they 
paused,  as  nearly  as  they  could  determine  by  the 
unmarked  graves  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith. 
They  stood  silently  for  a  few  moments  with 
bowed  heads,  and  then  the  man  sang  softly: 

"  'I  came  to  the  spot  where  the  two  martyrs  lay, 

And  pensively  stood  by  their  tomb, 
When  in  a  low  whisper  I  heard  something  say, 
'How  sweetly  we  sleep  here  alone! 

"  "The  tempest  may  rage  and  the  loud  thunders  roll, 

And  gathering  storms  may  arise, 
Yet  calm  are  our  feelings,  at  rest  are  our  souls, 
The  tears  are  all  wiped  from  our  eyes. 

wcWe  wandered  as  exiles  and  pilgrims  below, 

To  publish  salvation  abroad; 
The  trump  of  the  gospel  endeavored  to  blow, 
Preparing  a  people  for  God. 

"  'Go  tell  our  companions  and  brethren  most  dear, 

To  weep  not  for  Joseph,  though  gone; 
Nor  Hyrum,  for  Jesus  through  scenes  dark  and  drear, 
Has  kindly  conducted  us  home.' 


302  Timbers  for  the  Temple 

"I  wept  for  the  church,  for  her  prophet  was  slain, 

And  I  felt  that  deceivers  were  near, 
Who  would  lead  her  from  precepts  of  virtue  so  plain, 
Once  taught  her  by  Joseph  the  Seer. 

"But  anguish  gives  place  to  a  fullness  of  joy, 

Revived  are  the  hopes  that  were  slain; 
From  th'  seed  of  the  Martyr,  called  by  the  Most  High, 
Comes  a  prophet  to  lead  us  again." 


They  turned  away,  and  slowly,  as  in  a  dream, 
they  walked  as  those  walk  who  have  forgotten 
the  present  and  all  earthly  things  and  journey 
into  the  past  among  the  spirits  of  the  departed. 
They  climbed  the  hill  again  and  came  to  David's 
Lookout.  "I  particularly  wanted  you  to  see  this 
place,"  said  the  man. 

They  stood  for  a  long  time  looking  at  the  mag- 
nificent panorama  spread  out  at  their  feet.  It 
was  quite  evident  that  the  man  had  again  lost 
himself  to  the  present  world.  But  finally  the 
woman  touched  his  arm,  bringing  him  from  his 
reverie,  as  she  said,  "We  must  go  now,  David, 
or  we  shall  miss  the  ferry." 

He  turned  abstractedly,  and  came  slowly  out 
of  his  daydreams.  They  smiled  again  into  each 
other's  eyes  in  perfect  understanding  and  sym- 
pathy, and  with  a  farewell  glance  at  the  untem- 
pled  hill  behind  them,  took  their  departure. 


:; 


